Glutathione is one of the body's most important antioxidants, synthesized naturally within cells from three amino acids. It's studied for its role in neutralizing oxidative stress and supporting cellular detoxification pathways, and its levels are known to decline with age, making it a frequent subject in longevity and cellular health research.
Glutathione is a tripeptide of glutamate, cysteine and glycine. It occurs in animals, plants, fungi and some bacteria, and is the most abundant low-molecular-weight thiol made in cells. It is widely studied in research on cellular redox chemistry.
Also known as: GSH, Reduced glutathione, γ-L-Glutamyl-L-cysteinylglycine.
Read more in the Research Library: Glutathione: a research overview.
For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use.
Glutathione is γ-L-glutamyl-L-cysteinylglycine. Its first bond joins the side-chain (γ) carboxyl group of glutamate to cysteine, unlike the α-peptide bonds in proteins. The thiol group (-SH) of the cysteine residue is its reactive centre.
Cells make it in two ATP-dependent steps. Glutamate–cysteine ligase forms γ-glutamylcysteine, the rate-limiting step, and glutathione synthetase then adds glycine.
Glutathione exists in a reduced form (GSH) and an oxidized form (GSSG), a disulfide of two glutathione molecules. The enzyme glutathione reductase converts GSSG back to GSH using NADPH, and the ratio of the two forms is widely used as a measure of cellular redox state.
The material supplied here has not been evaluated by the FDA.
Introductory review describing glutathione as the most abundant low-molecular-weight thiol made in cells, with an overview of its roles, how it is measured, and how it is synthesised.
Forman HJ, Zhang H, Rinna A, Mol Aspects Med, 2009 PubMedReview of how cells synthesise glutathione, covering the two enzymatic steps and how they are regulated.
Lu SC, Biochim Biophys Acta, 2013 PubMedReview article on the roles of glutathione in the cell.
Pompella A et al., Biochem Pharmacol, 2003 PubMedSummaries describe what each cited paper reports in its own model system. They are not claims about the effects of this product.
For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use.
| Compound | Glutathione |
|---|---|
| Class | Tripeptide thiol with an unusual γ-linkage |
| Sequence | γ-Glu-Cys-Gly (γ-L-glutamyl-L-cysteinylglycine) |
| Molecular formula | C10H17N3O6S |
| Molecular weight | 307.3 g/mol |
| CAS number | 70-18-8 (reduced form, GSH) |
| Form | Lyophilized powder |
| Purity | Third-party tested — see the COA for this batch’s full report |
| Amount per vial | 1500 mg |
| Batch | GT-404 |
| Certificate of analysis | View the COA (PDF) |