Glutathione: The Master Antioxidant

Skin whitening is very rampant today in the world of cosmetology and beautification. Because of this trend, people seemingly follow it and want their skin to be fairer and fairer until such whiteness has been achieved. Philippines is a country which has a tropic, mild and conducive weather to live on. The climate is cool to moderately hot compared to places in the north hemisphere and south hemisphere where cold weather is often felt in year around. Filipinos much be lucky of having brown skin where other races envy most.
They must be proud about it and much preserved it, because it is a gift from up above. But why some Filipinos want to be fair? Why are they aspired whitened skin while others are wanting their complexion?

As scientific research has been deepened, new technology in skin whitening is just on the tip of the finger. Advanced technology such as skin bleaching, whitening creams and lotions, vitamin c treatment, skin detoxification, and the introduction of glutathione (GSH), which is now a very famous, as the master of all antioxidants, and effective to whiten skin in just stint of time. What is Glutathione? And what is the main function in the body? Why it is used as oral or intravenous drug in whitening skin?

Glutathione (GSH)  is a tripeptide combination of three amino acids glutamyl-cysteine-glycine is used in many important biochemical reactions. Glutathione is an intracellular molecule for protection of cells and detoxification of reactive electrophilic compounds. It is found and mainly produced in the liver, so that no need to take oral glutathione or its IV counterpart.  Through the functional sulfhydryl group of the cysteine, GSH reacts chemically and enzymatically via the enzyme glutathione S-trasferase, with reactive oxidative oxygen groups of certain drugs, specifically aromatic hydrocarbons that formed during oxidative biotransformation. These reactive oxidative molecules may react with oxidative macromolecules such as proteins in the cell, leading to cell damage and cellular death. Thus, GSH is very important in the detoxification and biotransformation of reactive oxygen molecules into nonreactive metabolites. The resulting GSH conjugates are precursors for a group of drug conjugates known as mercapturic acid (N-acetylcysteine) derivatives.

Henceforth, Glutathione is involved mainly in the detoxification and biotransformation of oxidative chemicals that within our body, oxidative chemicals that cause mutation in the cell, particularly DNA and RNA. This deformation of DNA and RNA is the start of malignancy and cancer. The Glutathione is clearly used as antioxidant and not to whitening the skin. The whitening effect is maybe the side effect of Glutathione in higher dose when administered. The GSH's side effect may be associated with the impediment of melanogenesis, that is the formation of melanin from tyrosine which catalyze by tyrosinase to convert into dopa. Dopa is converted into dopaquinone which converted into leucodopachrome and converted to dopachrome. Dopachrome is converted to 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid to quinone until melanin is formed. It is believed that GSH inhibits the conversion of tyrosine into dopa by displacing the tyrosinase enzyme and interacts with it. Through this inhibition process, fairer skin is achieved.

There are no fatal adverse effect found in the use of Glutathione. But some experts say that it could lead to toxification of the liver or liver dysfuncton when higher dosage is given. Also the kidneys are commonly affected, especially in excretion of end metabolites of glutathione in the body. I believe that all excess are harmful to the body.