Thymine glycol (5,6-dihydroxy-5,6-dihydrothymine) is one of the principal DNA lesions that can be induced by oxidation and ionizing radiation.

On a body weight basis, mice excrete 18 times more thymine glycol plus thymidine glycol than humans, and monkeys four times more than humans.

The rate of repair of thymine glycol damage in human fibroblasts was found to decrease with age.

[3] Brain samples from humans who died of stroke were found to be deficient in base excision repair of thymine glycol as well as other types of oxidative damages.

[4] It was suggested that impaired base excision repair is a risk factor for ischemic brain injury.