Full Length Research Paper

Glutathione role in gallium induced toxicity

Ashfaq Ahmad¹, Muhammad Farid Khan¹, Kamran Ahmad Khan², Haroon Khan¹, Muhammad Tahir Razi³, Asim.ur.Rehman²* and Naseem Ullah¹

¹Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gomal University, D.I. Khan, KPK, Pakistan.

²Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gomal University, D.I. Khan, KPK, Pakistan.

³Faculty of Pharmacy, BZ University, Multan, Pakistan.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: asimwazir1@gmail.com. Tel: 0092-3229821867.

Abbreviations: GSH, Glutathione; -SH, sulfhydryl group; GSSG, oxidized glutathione.

Accepted 19 December, 2011

   Abstract

Metallo-elements have strong affinity for sulfhydryl group (-SH) of glutathione (GSH) present in tissues. It is very important and interesting to study the reaction of gallium nitrate and glutathione as biomarker of glutathione role in detoxification and conjugation in whole blood components (plasma and cytosolic fraction). The effect of gallium nitrate different concentrations was examined on GSH present in whole blood components. Decrease in GSH level was dependant on gallium nitrate concentration. The decrease in GSH level of whole blood components was more prominent with the time of incubation of gallium nitrate. Decrease in the concentration of reduced glutathione may be due to the interaction of reduce glutathione and gallium nitrate to form oxidized glutathione (GSSG) or gallium-glutathione complex. This change in GSH metabolic status provides information regarding the role of GSH in detoxification of gallium nitrate. The effect of gallium metal on glutathione in blood components was discussed in this study in in vitro condition as a model for in vivo condition.

Key words: Gallium nitrate, reduced glutathione (GSH), whole blood, plasma, cytosolic fraction (CF), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), Di-thiobis-dinitro-benzoic acid (DTNB).