Glutathione and its antiaging and antimelanogenic effects

Figures & data

Table 1 Baseline demographics

Characteristics	Number (%) of patients
Age distribution (year)
20–30	17 (29.8%)
31–40	20 (35.1%)
41–50	20 (35.1%)
Age (year)
Mean + SD	36.1 ± 8.1
Median	36
Min/max	21/48
Hair color
Black	48 (84.2%)
Brown	9 (15.8%)
Skin phototype
III	1 (1.8%)
IV	55 (96.4%)
V	1 (1.8%)
Homogeneity of facial skin color
Homogenous	26 (45.6%)
Not homogenous	31 (54.4%)
Treatment
GSSG	18 (31.6%)
GSH	20 (35.1%)
Placebo	19 (33.3%)

Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation; GSSG, oxidized glutathione; GSH, reduced glutathione.

Table 2 GEE analysis

Variables	Placebo vs. GSSG		Placebo vs. GSH
	Mean difference	P-value	Mean difference	P-value
Mexameter
Sun-exposed face, right	18.4241	N.S.	23.7472	N.S.
Sun-exposed face, left	18.9250	N.S.	18.8436	N.S.
Sun-exposed arm, right	15.7356	N.S.	37.0054	0.072
Sun-exposed arm, left	8.4700	N.S.	31.9076	0.091
Sun-protected arm, right	9.4779	N.S.	18.8066	N.S.
Sun-protected arm, left	7.4993	N.S.	15.1403	N.S.
Mexameter (age >40 years)
Sun-exposed face, right	−10.6149	N.S.	−18.8602	N.S.
Sun-exposed face, left	−9.4868	N.S.	−23.2070	N.S.
Sun-exposed arm, right	−38.3149	N.S.	60.4821	0.031*
Sun-exposed arm, left	−43.4550	N.S.	53.7161	0.057
Sun-protected arm, right	−18.9622	N.S.	31.2671	0.078
Sun-protected arm, left	−25.8103	N.S.	17.7876	N.S.
VISIA
Sun-exposed face, right	23.1060	N.S.	5.2296	N.S.
Sun-exposed face, left	21.1206	N.S.	7.9414	N.S.
VISIA (age >40 years)
Sun-exposed face, right	−0.8889	N.S.	−6.8889	N.S.
Sun-exposed face, left	−18.5556	N.S.	−10.0198	N.S.
Tewameter
Sun-exposed face, right	0.2515	N.S.	−0.3893	N.S.
Sun-exposed face, left	−0.0641	N.S.	−0.0011	N.S.
Sun-exposed arm, right	−0.5992	N.S.	0.0108	N.S.
Sun-exposed arm, left	−0.4294	N.S.	−0.1032	N.S.
Sun-protected arm, right	−0.6957	N.S.	−0.3497	N.S.
Sun-protected arm, left	−0.1941	N.S.	0.1534	N.S.
Tewameter (age >40 years)
Sun-exposed face, right	−0.8032	N.S.	−0.5919	N.S.
Sun-exposed face, left	−1.4715	N.S.	−0.3575	N.S.
Sun-exposed arm, right	−0.2515	N.S.	−0.0403	N.S.
Sun-exposed arm, left	−0.0561	N.S.	−0.4224	N.S.
Sun-protected arm, right	−0.1284	N.S.	−0.3981	N.S.
Sun-protected arm, left	0.5856	N.S.	−0.0566	N.S.
Sun-exposed face, right	0.3321	N.S.	3.6350	N.S.
Sun-exposed face, left	−0.2904	N.S.	2.4277	N.S.
Sun-exposed arm, right	3.0026	N.S.	3.9812	N.S.
Sun-exposed arm, left	2.8878	N.S.	3.0428	N.S.
Sun-protected arm, right	1.2492	N.S.	2.1739	N.S.
Sun-protected arm, left	1.3142	N.S.	3.8116	0.031*
Corneometer (age >40 years)
Sun-exposed face, right	5.4455	N.S.	9.9433	0.048*
Sun-exposed face, left	4.6751	N.S.	7.9991	0.090
Sun-exposed arm, right	6.0388	N.S.	1.5504	N.S.
Sun-exposed arm, left	5.6142	N.S.	0.4824	N.S.
Sun-protected arm, right	3.5240	N.S.	0.1463	N.S.
Sun-protected arm, left	5.4652	0.052	0.1840	N.S.
Cutometer
Sun-exposed face, right	−0.0372	0.082	0.0036	N.S.
Sun-exposed face, left	−0.0283	N.S.	−0.0116	N.S.
Sun-exposed arm, right	−0.0031	N.S.	−0.0088	N.S.
Sun-exposed arm, left	0.0001	N.S.	−0.0029	N.S.
Sun-protected arm, right	−0.0006	N.S.	−0.0052	N.S.
Sun-protected arm, left	0.0007	N.S.	−0.0010	N.S.
Cutometer (age >40 years)
Sun-exposed face, right	−0.0395	N.S.	0.0089	N.S.
Sun-exposed face, left	0.0288	N.S.	−0.0052	N.S.
Sun-exposed arm, right	−0.0060	N.S.	−0.0008	N.S.
Sun-exposed arm, left	−0.0095	N.S.	−0.0096	N.S.
Sun-protected arm, right	−0.0097	N.S.	−0.0105	N.S.
Sun-protected arm, left	−0.0086	N.S.	−0.0029	N.S.
VISIO
Sun-exposed face, right	−0.0542	N.S.	0.4993	N.S.
Sun-exposed face, left	0.0601	N.S.	1.1137	N.S.
Sun-exposed arm, right	0.5420	N.S.	0.7263	N.S.
Sun-exposed arm, left	0.7505	N.S.	0.8105	N.S.
Sun-protected arm, right	0.6234	N.S.	0.2277	N.S.
Sun-protected arm, left	0.7887	N.S.	2.3124	0.006*
VISIO (age >40 years)
Sun-exposed face, right	−0.8735	N.S.	0.5056	N.S.
Sun-exposed face, left	0.1897	N.S.	1.3635	N.S.
Sun-exposed arm, right	−0.1998	N.S.	1.3337	N.S.
Sun-exposed arm, left	0.4910	N.S.	2.1052	0.043*
Sun-protected arm, right	1.6827	N.S.	0.8387	N.S.
Sun-protected arm, left	0.2899	N.S.	2.5568	0.066

Note:

* P<0.05.

Abbreviations: GEE, generalized estimating equation; N.S., not significant; GSSG, oxidized glutathione; GSH, reduced glutathione.

Table 3 Adverse events

Treatment	n	AE (%)	Pruritus (%)	Erythema (%)	Red spot (%)	Tiredness (%)
GSSG	18	2 (11.11)	1 (5.56)	0	2 (11.11)	0
GSH	20	3 (15.0)	2 (10.0)	1 (5.0)	1 (5.0)	1 (5.0)
Placebo	19	4 (21.05)	2 (10.53)	1 (5.26)	3 (15.79)	0
Total	57	9 (15.79)	5 (8.77)	2 (3.51)	6 (10.53)	1 (1.75)

Abbreviations: AE, adverse event; GSSG, oxidized glutathione; GSH, reduced glutathione.

Table 4 Blood parameters

Laboratory parameters		Baseline	EOT
WBC	Missing – n (%)	0	0
	Mean ± standard error	6.5 ± 1.5	6.4 ± 1.5
RBC	Missing – n (%)	0	0
	Mean ± standard error	5.0 ± 1.4	4.6 ± 0.4
Hb	Missing – n (%)	0	0
	Mean ± standard error	13.3 ± 2.2	12.6 ± 1.2
Platelets	Missing – n (%)	0	0
	Mean ± standard error	283.8 ± 66.2	280.4 ± 66.7
AST	Missing – n (%)	0	0
	Mean ± standard error	17.7 ± 7.5	18.1 ± 7.6
ALT	Missing – n (%)	0	0
	Mean ± standard error	16.6 ± 11.6	16.3 ± 11.1
GGT	Missing – n (%)	0	0
	Mean ± standard error	19.5 ± 11.0	21.9 ± 14.2
TP	Missing – n (%)	0	0
	Mean ± standard error	1.3 ± 0.4	1.4± 0.4
TC	Missing – n (%)	0	0
	Mean ± standard error	206.0 ± 35.2	204.1 ± 32.2
TG	Missing – n (%)	0	0
	Mean ± standard error	88.8 ± 41.5	87.7 ± 40.5
LDH	Missing – n (%)	0	0
	Mean ± standard error	154.0 ± 26.3	158.3 ± 23.2
BUN	Missing – n (%)	0	0
	Mean ± standard error	11.1 ± 2.7	10.5 ± 2.8
Cr	Missing – n (%)	0	0
	Mean ± standard error	0.8 ± 0.1	0.8 ± 0.1

Abbreviations: EOT, end of treatment; WBC, white blood cells; RBC, red blood cells; Hb, hemoglobin; AST, aspartate transaminase; ALT, alanine transaminase; GGT, gamma-glutamyl transferase; TP, total protein; TC, total cholesterol; TG, triglyceride; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; Cr, creatinine.