Glutathione

Glutathione (GSH) is a tripeptide thiol and the most abundant non-protein thiol in mammalian tissues, where it takes part in antioxidant defense, redox signaling and detoxification of xenobiotics. Its synthesis depends on cysteine supply and on two enzymes, glutamate cysteine ligase and GSH synthetase. Research relevant to a glutathione spray includes GSH content and turnover in rat nasal epithelia, neuronal GSH regulation by the EAAC1 transporter, and intranasal delivery of a catabolism-resistant GSH analog in mice. Research Market supplies it in solution in a spray bottle, with a lot-specific certificate of analysis. It is sold strictly for laboratory research use.

Chemical structure and identification

• Molecular formula: C₁₀H₁₇N₃O₆S
• Molecular weight: 307.33 g/mol
• CAS number: 70-18-8
• PubChem CID: 124886
• Synonyms: L-glutathione; reduced glutathione; GSH
• Form: Supplied in solution in a spray bottle
• Analytical methods: RP-HPLC for purity and mass spectrometry for identity, reported on the batch certificate of analysis

Research applications

• Nasal epithelium: Respiratory and olfactory epithelia of Fischer-344 rats contained 2.9 to 4.2 µmol GSH per gram of tissue; respiratory epithelium showed biphasic GSH turnover with a rapid-phase half-life of 4.4 hours [1]
• Intranasal delivery of a GSH analog: Intranasal ψ-GSH, a glutathione analog that resists catabolism, reached brain levels 4-fold higher than an effective systemic dose in mice, was stable in simulated nasal fluid and was studied in an Aβ1-42 model [2]
• Neuronal glutathione: Reviewed for neuronal GSH production, which depends on the glutamate/cysteine transporter EAAC1 and its regulation by GTRAP3-18 and miR-96-5p [3]
• Biosynthesis: Reviewed for the regulation of GSH synthesis by cysteine availability, glutamate cysteine ligase (GCLC and GCLM subunits) and GSH synthetase, including control by Nrf2, AP-1 and NF-κB [4]

Reference citations

1. Potter D.W. et al. (1995). Glutathione content and turnover in rat nasal epithelia. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol, 135(2):185–191. PMID 8545826 · DOI
2. Bhilare K.D. et al. (2025). Intranasal delivery of metabolically resilient glutathione: in vivo pharmacokinetic, permeation, and efficacy studies. Mol Pharm, 22(7):4145–4157. PMID 40401709 · DOI
3. Aoyama K. (2021). Glutathione in the brain. Int J Mol Sci, 22(9):5010. PMID 34065042 · DOI
4. Lu S.C. (2013). Glutathione synthesis. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1830(5):3143–3153. PMID 22995213 · DOI

Compound data from PubChem CID 124886. Literature summaries describe published preclinical research and are not claims about this product’s effects in humans or animals.