A review article published in Nutrients in 2024 focused on glutathione (GSH), exploring its core role in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.
The article proposes to deliver Glutathione directly to the central nervous system through nebulized inhalation to counteract oxidative stress, protect neurons, and improve disease symptoms.
core role of glutathione
1. "main force" of antioxidant defense
Neutralizing free radicals: Directly eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), preventing oxidative damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA.
Maintain REDOX balance: Through the dynamic regeneration of the "GSH-GSSG cycle" (which requires glutathione reductase and NADPH support), ensure that the intracellular reduction state is dominant.
2. "Guardians" of Mitochondria
Protective electron transport chain (ETC) : Reduces mitochondrial ROS leakage, prevents oxidation and inactivation of key enzyme complexes (such as Complex I), and ensures efficient ATP generation.
Repair damage: As a cofactor of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), it decomposes hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) into water, blocking the generation of highly toxic hydroxyl radicals (·OH) in the "Fenton reaction".
3. "Lifeline" of Nervous System
Supporting neuron-glial cell metabolism: Glial cells break down extracellular GSH into cysteine (Cys), which is used by neurons to synthesize their own GSH, compensating for the deficiency of weak synthetic ability of neurons.
Regulating cell fate: By regulating thiolation (S-glutathione), it affects protein function, participates in autophagy and apoptosis signaling pathways, and prevents abnormal protein aggregation (such as α -synuclein, β -amyloid protein).
4. "activation switch" of NRF2 pathway
Relieve Keap1 inhibition: Under oxidative stress, GSH-related metabolites modify the Keap1 protein, release NRF2 into the nucleus, and initiate the expression of antioxidant genes (such as GCL, GPx).
Enhance global defense: Boost cells' resistance to subsequent oxidative attacks and establish a long-term protection mechanism.
Glutathione is not only the "antidote" of cells, but also the core defense line of the brain against oxidative collapse - from molecular repair to global defense, it provides a natural solution to fight neurodegenerative diseases.
Source of literature:
João V L, Alexandre R.at al.Nebulized Glutathione as a Key Antioxidant for the Treatment of Oxidative Stress in Neurodegenerative Conditions.Nutrients 2024, 16, 2476.
