ALTERATION OF THE ERYTHROCYTE GLUTATHIONE REDOX BALANCE BY N-ACETYLCYSTEINE, CAPTOPRIL AND EXOGENOUS GLUTATHIONE

The effect of the thiol containing compounds N-acetylcysteine and capt opril on glutathione metabolism in human erythrocytes has been investi gated non-invasively using H-1 spin echo NMR. N-Acetylcysteine was fou nd to increase the reduced form of glutathione while captopril increas ed the oxidized form, but no changes in the total glutathione concentr ation were observed. Incubation of the cells with buthionine sulphoxim ine to inhibit de novo glutathione synthesis did not affect the respon se. The results show that these compounds act by altering the redox ba lance of glutathione rather than by stimulating its synthesis, and tha t their mechanisms of action are different, and not simply due to the presence of the thiol group.