Glutathione repletion
- Supplies cysteine — the rate-limiting precursor for glutathione synthesis
- Restores glutathione conjugation of reactive metabolites → hepatoprotection
- effectiveness falls sharply the longer treatment is delayed
- Also acts as a mucolytic by cleaving disulfide bonds in mucus
- ⚑ a separate mechanism from glutathione repletion
Drugs with this mechanism (2)
- Acetylcysteine — Glutathione precursor and mucolytic; the antidote for acetaminophen poisoning.
- N-acetylcysteine (NAC) — Glutathione precursor sold OTC as a supplement; off-label for trichotillomania. The antidote is prescription acetylcysteine.
Self-check
- Which rate-limiting glutathione precursor is supplied?
Cysteine. - Is disulfide cleavage in mucus the same mechanism as glutathione repletion?
No; it is a separate mucolytic mechanism.
All mechanisms · Open Glutathione repletion in the interactive console ↗