Introduction to Glutathione

2022/01/11

Glutathione is widely present in animals and plants, and plays an important role in the organism. The content in baker's yeast, wheat germ and animal liver is very high, reaching 100-000mg/100g, and in human blood, it contains 26-34mg/100g. Chicken blood contains 58-73mg/100g, pig blood contains 10-15mg/100g, and the content is higher in tomatoes, pineapples and cucumbers (12-33mg/100g). The content in sweet potatoes, mung bean sprouts, onions, and shiitake mushrooms is low (0.06~0.7mg/100g).
Glutathione is widely present in animals and plants, and plays an important role in the organism. The content in baker's yeast, wheat germ and animal liver is very high, reaching 100-000mg/100g, and in human blood, it contains 26-34mg/100g. Chicken blood contains 58-73mg/100g, pig blood contains 10-15mg/100g, and the content is higher in tomatoes, pineapples and cucumbers (12-33mg/100g). The content in sweet potatoes, mung bean sprouts, onions, and shiitake mushrooms is low (0.06~0.7mg/100g).
Glutathione plays an important role in the biochemical defense system of the human body. It has various physiological functions. Its main physiological function is to remove free radicals in the human body. As an important antioxidant in the body, it protects many proteins. And the sulfhydryl group in molecules such as enzymes, the structure of GSH contains an active sulfhydryl group -SH, which is easy to be oxidized and dehydrogenated. This special structure makes it the main free radical scavenger in the body.
Glutathione can also protect hemoglobin from oxidation by hydrogen peroxide, free radicals, etc., so that it can continue to perform its ability to transport oxygen normally. Part of hemoglobin in red blood cells is oxidized to trivalent iron under the action of oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide. Valence iron turns hemoglobin into methemoglobin, thereby losing the ability to carry oxygen. Reduced glutathione can directly combine with hydrogen peroxide and other oxidants to produce water and oxidized glutathione, and it can also reduce methemoglobin to hemoglobin. There is a lot of glutathione in human red blood cells, which is good for protecting red blood cells. The sulfhydryl group of the protein on the membrane is in a reduced state, which is of great significance to prevent hemolysis.