Cited by 254Sulfur Compounds in BiologyAntioxidant Activity and Oxidative StressFree Radicals and Antioxidants

The antioxidant action of ergothioneine

Akanmu, Dola, Cecchini, Rubens, Aruoma, Okezie I., Halliwell, Barry·1991·Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics

Abstract

Ergothioneine is a product of plant origin that accumulates in animal tissues. Its suggested ability to act as an antioxidant has been evaluated. Ergothioneine is a powerful scavenger of hydroxyl radicals (.OH) and an inhibitor of iron or copper ion-dependent generation of .OH from hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). It is also an inhibitor of copper ion-dependent oxidation of oxyhaemoglobin, and of arachidonic acid peroxidation promoted by mixtures of myoglobin (or haemoglobin) and H2O2. Ergothioneine is a powerful scavenger of hypochlorous acid, being able to protect alpha 1-antiproteinase against inactivation by this molecule. By contrast, it does not react rapidly with superoxide (O2-) or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and it does not inhibit microsomal lipid peroxidation in the presence of iron ions. Overall, our results show that ergothioneine at the concentrations present in vivo could act as an antioxidant.

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  • ERG can react with and detoxify, or prevent the formation of, hydroxyl radicals, singlet oxygen, ozone, superoxide, peroxide, hypochlorite and peroxynitrite.

    “Although the literature is somewhat scattered and heterogeneous, it seems clear that as well as hydroxyl radicals(228–232), ERG can also react with and detoxify, or prevent the formation of, singlet oxygen(233–242), ozone(243), superoxide(231,241,244–246), peroxide(32,124,247,248), hypochlorite(32,232,249) and peroxynitrite(224,231,250,251).”

    From The biology of ergothioneine, an antioxidant nutraceutical (2020) · cites this paper as [228]

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Authors
Akanmu, D., Cecchini, R., Aruoma, O. I., & Halliwell, B.
Affiliations
  • University of London (GB)
  • University of California Davis Medical Center (US)
Corresponding author
Halliwell, Barry
Venue
Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
1991-07
Volume
288
Issue
1
Pages
10-16
ISSN
0003-9861 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2039684034
Cited by
251
References
51
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 14
FWCI
2.17
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biochemistry › Sulfur Compounds in Biology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress
  • Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Organic Chemistry › Free Radicals and Antioxidants
Keywords
ergothioneine, antioxidant activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide, copper-catalyzed oxidation, iron-catalyzed oxidation, arachidonic acid peroxidation, myoglobin, hypochlorous acid, alpha-1-antiproteinase, superoxide, lipid peroxidation
MeSH terms
alpha 1-Antitrypsin, Animals, Antioxidants, Copper, Ergothioneine, Hemoglobins, Humans, Hydrogen Peroxide, Hydroxides, Myoglobin, Superoxides, Lipid Peroxidation, Hydroxyl Radical, In Vitro Techniques

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