BLOOD AND PLASMA GLUTATHIONE MEASURED IN HEALTHY-SUBJECTS BY HPLC - RELATION TO SEX, AGING, BIOLOGICAL VARIABLES, AND LIFE HABITS

We report an HPLC method for measuring the concentrations of reduced ( GSH) and total (GSHt) free glutathione in human plasma and whole blood . The chromatographic step was coupled with a postcolumn derivatizatio n reaction and fluorometric detection. The linear range was 0.81-13.02 mu mol/L, and the detection limit was 0.13 mu mol/L. In healthy adult s (ages 18-73 years), mean concentrations were 941 +/- 155 mu mol/L fo r GSHt and 849 +/- 63 mu mol/L for GSH in blood (107 men, 94 women), a nd 3.39 +/- 1.04 mu mol/L for GSH in plasma (66 men, 58 women). Blood GSHt but not GSH was significantly lower in children (32 boys, 32 girl s: 872 +/- 157 mu mol/L) than in adults. Blood GSHt and GSH appeared t o be correlated positively with the number of cigarettes smoked per da y and the regular practice of physical exercise, and negatively with a lcohol abstinence. We observed positive correlations between blood GSH t and cholesterol and calcium concentrations, and between blood GSH an d cholesterol concentration.