Glutathione (glutathione, r-glutamyl cysteingl + glycine, GSH) is a tripeptide containing γ-amide bonds and thiol groups, consisting of glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine, which are present in almost every body cell.
Glutathione (especially glutathione in liver cells) can participate in biotransformation, thereby converting harmful poisons in the body into harmless substances and excreting them. Glutathione can help maintain normal immune system function, and has antioxidant effects, integrated detoxification. The sulfhydryl group on cysteine is its active group (so often abbreviated as G-SH), which is easy to combine with certain drugs, toxins, etc., making it have an integrated detoxification effect. Glutathione can be used not only for medicines, but also as a base for functional foods, and is widely used in functional foods such as delaying aging, enhancing immunity, and anti-tumor. Glutathione comes in two forms: reduced (G-SH) and oxidized (G-S-S-G). Under physiological conditions, most of them are reduced glutathione. Glutathione reductase can catalyze the interconversion between the two types, and its coenzyme can also provide NADPH for the pentose phosphate bypass metabolism.
Glutathione also has antioxidant effects. As an important antioxidant in the body, glutathione can scavenge free radicals in the human body. Since GSH itself is susceptible to oxidation by certain substances, it can protect many proteins in the body The thiol groups in molecules such as enzymes and enzymes are not oxidized by harmful substances, so as to ensure the normal functioning of molecules such as proteins and enzymes. The content of glutathione in human red blood cells is large. Hemolysis is of great significance.
Can also be used as a food additive, adding glutathione to food can play an unexpected role:
1. It can be added to the noodle products to reduce it. It not only shortens the time for making bread to one-half or one-third of the original, greatly improves labor conditions, and also plays a role in strengthening food nutrition and other functions.
2. Adding it to yogurt and infant food is equivalent to vitamin C, and it can act as a stabilizer.
3. Mix it into fish cake to prevent the color from deepening.
4. Added to meat products and cheese, it has the effect of strengthening flavor.