Abstract:
Silver Nitrate (AgNo3) effect on the status of reduced glutathione (GSH), the major non-protein thiol in blood
components were examined using freshly isolated plasma and cytosolic fraction of whole blood of healthy
human volunteer. AgNo3 had significant effects on GSH contents reduction in plasma and cytosolic fraction of
blood. Effect or reduction in GSH content was more pronounced or significant at AgNo3 concentration with
time intervals (minutes to hours). Depletion of GSH in plasma and cytosolic fraction of blood by the addition
of AgNo3 indicates that AgNo3 penetrated the cell membrane and reacted with GSH, depleted its contents
mostly due to oxidation of reduced Glutathione (GSH) to glutathione disulphide (GSSG) 2 GSH → GSSG +
2H+ or likely that AgNo3 after penetration formed a Silver-Glutathione (Ag-SG) complex. Time dependent
effect of AgNo3 on the chemical status of glutathione was discussed in vitro in this paper which in principle
presents the model of in vivo reaction, which will be the precise indirect impression of AgNo3 detoxification
resulting by the interaction with GSH.
