Putting some of this "oxidative stress" work together, Jaffee and Boyd Haley and Levy, Jaffee says that alpha-lipoic acid is the antioxidant protecting the cell nucleus. (Vitamin E /selenium protect the lipid cell membranes, ascorbate is the primary antioxidant in the cell, etc. GSH is also water soluble, so probably not found in the nucleus or cell membrane.)
I think the mitochondria are considered to be in the nucleus, but we know that ALA is produced endogenously in the mitochondria. (Fascinating listening to Boyd Haley discuss his OSR invention - a "fat soluble" antioxidant. Too bad the FDA squashed it, because in theory, being more powerful than ALA, even more spectacular anti-aging and detox effects would be expected.)
Back to ALA/CARNITINE. ALA getting carnitine to the mitochondria is apparently what creates young rats out of old ones!