Vibrational spectroscopic study of glutathione complexation in aqueous solutions

A spectroscopic study of glutathione (GSH) and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) has been performed using Fourier-transformed infrared absorption and Raman scattering in order to pinpoint the sites of complexation of these two spe cies with water and particularly with H2O2. Molecules of GSH and GSSG were studied in KBr pellets, and in aqueous solutions of H2O, D2O, and H2O with H2O2 (1 mol L-1) to characterize the specific influence of the solvent mole cules. A time-resolved Raman study was performed for GSH/H2O2 in aqueous so lution at 1 : 1 molar ratio in order to observe the formation of GSSG and t o discuss the mechanism of this redox reaction. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.