Glutathione and its application in the pharmaceutical field
Glutathione is the most important non-protein thiol compound in the tissue cells and the most abundant low-molecular peptides. As early as a hundred years ago, people discovered the GSH and synthesized it for the first time in 1935. It is known that glutathione is directly or indirectly involved in many important cellular functional activities, such as protein and DNA synthesis, enzyme activity, maintenance of material within the cell metabolism and transporter, protection of cells from oxygen free radical damage. GSH is the main biological antioxidant and free radical scavenger. It plays an important role to maintain a normal body oxidative status and antioxidant defense mechanisms. Currently, research of GSH has aroused more and more attention. In fact, a lot of people want to know clear about the pharmaceutical raw materials and buy glutathione.
GSH defects in the cell may produce excessive oxygen free radicals and oxidation of plasma membrane, changes in membrane permeability; oxide containing sulfhydryl enzyme inactivates; oxidative DNA scission; caused by macromolecules dying, the formation of lipid peroxidation objects (LPO), the increase in toxic substances, ultimately leading to cell death. Especially the formation of LPO in the cell damage greater than that of oxygen free radicals, because of its end products such as malondialdehyde, which is toxic and can be generated through the radical chain reaction amplification. GSH not only the enzyme-catalyzed reaction and LPO inhibition of the formation of free radicals, and can combine with free radicals to stable molecules. Therefore, it is the body's most important antioxidant and free radical scavenger.
Instability of the
GSH molecule, oral absorption is poor, can not effectively improve the level of
intracellular GSH, and high-dose oral administration of GSH, they may lead to
cysteine caused kidney stones, gastrointestinal discomfort,
bloating and other side effects, so many people began to study GSH prodrug. GSH
with very low toxicity, the LD50 of oral GSH is difficult to determine, given
large doses of GSH is not easy to see that the toxic effect. Toxicity can be
seen in the case of vitamin deficiency and GSH, CYS by renal excretion, high
doses of GSH may result in the crystallization of urine produced the CYS
stones, resulting in chronic renal toxicity, oral GSH dose more than
Many disease states in vivo GSH levels decreased, in particular the decrease of certain organs and systems of GSH. Such as HIV / AIDS, diabetes, adult respiratory distress syndrome, retinal degeneration, etc., are due to the lack of excessive free radicals and GSH, and other chronic diseases such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, rheumatoid arthritis, advanced cancer but also the lack of GSH related. Clinical and preclinical studies have shown that: the cells of diabetic patients with glutamic acid enzyme caused by increased GSH synthesis obstruction, resulting in reduced GSH levels; this interpretation also applies to the cataract, occlusive vascular sclerosis and susceptible patients. HIV / AIDS patients may be infected with HIV, plasma GSH decreased. GSH can, and certain carcinogens, electrophilic substances formation of GSH S-conjugates, to prevent its reaction with DNA play an antioxidant role; and some heavy metals such as nickel, lead, calcium, mercury, vanadium, manganese, etc. can also be formed chelate detoxification.
Pharmaceutical raw materials GSH are also involved in the metabolism of some drugs such as narcotic morphine. It alleviates the nephrotoxicity of cisplatin, doxorubicin induced by myocarditis, acetaminophen and liver toxicity of ethanol. GSH provides the reactive thiol or direct combination with free radicals to protect the liver tissue under the enzyme catalyzation. It can treat viral hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. It has significant hepatoprotective effect in liver cancer chemoembolization patients. It also plays important roles in liver kidney damage for cancer patients.
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