MitoTEMPOL is a mitochondria-targeting superoxide dismutase mimetic that reduces mitochondrial O2- to H2O2. Like the related compound MitoTEMPO , MitoTEMPOL combines an antioxidant moiety (here, TEMPOL, also known as 4-hydroxy-TEMPO) with the lipophilic cation triphenylphosphonium, which allows it to pass through lipid bilayers and accumulate in mitochondria. MitoTEMPOL has been used to elucidate the role of mitochondria-derived superoxide in mitochondrial, cellular, and whole animal signaling.
