What is ergothioneine and what does it do?

Ergothioneine (EGT) is an antioxidant amino acid substance. It was first discovered by French pharmacist Charles Tanret in 1909 when he was studying ergot fungi that destroy rye grains. It has unique cell physiological protection functions such as scavenging free radicals, detoxification, maintaining DNA biosynthesis, normal cell growth, cell immunity, anti-radiation, whitening and anti-aging.

EGT is transported to the mitochondria, an important "energy factory" for life activities, through the transport protein OCTN1 on the cell membrane and mitochondrial membrane, to play an antioxidant function, inhibit DNA damage, effectively protect against ultraviolet damage, protect cells, and prevent photoaging. At the same time, it has the ability to scavenge free radicals, reduce lipid peroxidation, and promote the body's own antioxidant enzymes. In terms of antioxidants, EGT is a strong player and can PK players of the same type, such as coenzyme Q10 and idebenone, whose strength cannot be underestimated.

Ergothioneine is a natural amino acid derived from plants and can be accumulated in animals. Studies have shown that it has antioxidant effects. It can effectively remove -OH, chelate divalent iron ions and copper ions, prevent H2O2 from generating -OH under the action of iron ions or copper ions, and inhibit the oxidation of copper-dependent oxygenated hemoglobin. It can also inhibit the peroxidation reaction of arachidonic acid after myoglobin (or hemoglobin) is mixed with H2O2. Ergothioneine can also effectively remove hypochlorous acid, thereby preventing the inactivation of a 1-antiprotease. However, it cannot inhibit the peroxidation of lipid particles in the presence of iron ions. Studies by AKanmu D et al. show that a certain concentration of ergothioneine in the body can act as an antioxidant.

Ergothioneine is a powerful hypochlorous acid scavenger (HOCl). Although many compounds can react with hypochlorous acid, few can react as quickly as ergothioneine. a 1-antiprotease inhibitor (API), such as elastase, is particularly sensitive to hypochlorous acid, and ergothioneine at physiological concentrations can effectively protect API against the inactivation caused by hypochlorous acid. Since neutrophils are the main source of hypochlorous acid in the body, one of the functions of ergothioneine is to protect red blood cells from the harm of neutrophils from normal function or pathological inflammatory sites.

Peroxynitrite is endogenously formed by the limited diffusion reaction of NO and superoxide. It is a strong oxidant related to the pathophysiology of inflammation, such as ischemia-reperfusion injury, atherosclerosis, acute pneumonia and sepsis. Ergothioneine can inhibit the oxidation of amino acids mediated by peroxynitrite anions, such as tyrosine nitration, thus providing feasibility for the treatment of inflammation.

Studies have shown that ergothioneine cannot be synthesized in animals, but it has been clearly shown that histidine, the sulfuratom, and the methyl groups of methionine can be synthesized (incorporated into) ergothioneine in plants and microorganisms. D. Yanasugondha and M.D. Appleman studied the decomposition of ergothioneine in microorganisms and found that ergothioneine can be converted into trimethylamine and thiol imidazole acrylic acid; Heath [3] fed rats with food containing [S] ergothioneine for 21 days and found that [S] labeled ergothioneine was distributed in the bone marrow, red blood cells, liver, kidneys and other parts. George Wolf et al. first injected [α-S] ergothioneine into rats and then studied the distribution of radioactivity and its metabolites. It was proved that herzynine is the precursor of ergothioneine synthesis.

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