Category: amino-acid
Aliases: 2-Aminoethanesulfinic acid
Sulfinic intermediate on the cysteine → taurine pathway. Cysteine → cysteine sulfinic acid (via cysteine dioxygenase, CDO) → hypotaurine (via cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase, CSAD) → taurine (non-enzymatic / FMO-catalysed oxidation). Found free in retina, leukocytes, male reproductive tract (where it appears to act as an antioxidant scavenging hypochlorite and hydroxyl radicals) and CNS. Not clinically supplemented — oral intake simply feeds the taurine pool; direct PK in humans is not characterised.