ABSTRACT
Glutathione (L-y-glutamyl-L-cysteinylglycine, GSH) is found in virtually all cells (except for certain mutant bacteria) as the most abundant low-molecular-weight thiol. This ubiquitous tripeptide has an important role in the detoxification of electrophilic and free radical metabolites of drugs and literally hundreds of thousands of other xenobiotics. Trapping of reactive intermediates by GSH leads to their rapid elimination and prevents their covalent binding to tissue macromolecules, thereby providing protection from loss of cellular viability and function.
