Glutathione as a good helper of whitening skin, can participate in a variety of biological transformation, scavenging free radicals, antioxidant, whitening skin, fade spots, and anti-aging effect, glutathione in the end how to work?
Fair skin is the pursuit of many women who love beauty, but it is troubled by dark yellow skin tone and long spots, and some people are young on the back of the black pot of yellow face woman.
Why is the skin dark yellow, long spot? How can we help our skin get rid of these problems?
What is melanin?
Melanin is the main determinant of the dark yellow and long spots of the skin, and the melanin content of the skin epidermis depends on:
1. The number of melanocytes;
The number of melanocytes tripled in skin exposed to long-term light.
2. Expression and function of enzymes and structural proteins in melanin bodies;
Melanin bodies are the only organelles used for the synthesis and deposition of melanin in eukaryotic cells.
The nascent melanin bodies gather in the perinuclear region near the Golgi heap and receive all the enzymes and structural proteins required for melanin production.
3. The amount of eumelanin and limonomelanin synthesized;
Eumelanin and limonomelanin are different in chemistry, color and physical properties, the former is mainly concentrated in dark skin, the latter is mainly concentrated in light skin, and the ratio of the two determines the degree of blackening of the skin.
4. Transport of melanin bodies to dendrites;
After the melanin body matures, it moves along the microtubule from the perinuclear region to the dendrites under the action of the driver protein and the motor protein.
5. Transfer of melanin bodies to keratinocytes;
Melanin produced by melanocytes can transported along the dendrites of melanocytes to the surrounding keratinocytes to form the color of the epidermis.
6. Distribution and degradation of melanin in the basal layer of skin.
The degree of skin melanosis is related to the redistribution and degradation ability of melanin bodies.
2. melanin-busting glutathione
Glutathione (Glutatathione) is a short peptide composed of three amino acids, namely glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine, often referred to by the English abbreviation GSH.
Glutathione is present in almost every cell of the body and plays an important role in coordinating body mechanisms and protecting body functions. In the body, more than 90% of GSH exists in reduced form.
Glutathione has a broad spectrum detoxification effect, which can chelate various toxic compounds, heavy metal ions and carcinogens and other harmful toxins. It is an effective detoxification substance for living organisms.
Glutathione is also the main antioxidant of human cells and is known as the “melatonin link pioneer” because of its excellent antioxidant capacity.
Through its superior antioxidant activity, it can inhibit tyrosinase activity and reduce melanin synthesis. Studies have shown that glutathione can inhibit tyrosinase activity up to 85%.
3. Main physiological functions of glutathione
Glutathione is widely distributed in various organs of the body, directly or indirectly involved in a variety of physiological activities to maintain cell biological functions.
The main functions include:
- Form an important REDOX pair with GSSG to maintain REDOX balance;
- As one of the most important antioxidants in the cellular antioxidant system, it can protect lipids, proteins, DNA, enzymes and other biological macromolecules against oxidative stress damage and maintain activity;
- Detoxification of heavy metals and exogenous substances by nucleophilic attact-binding reaction under the action of glutathione-S-transferase;
- Storage and transport of cysteine through the “gamma-glutamyl cycle”, which is the reservoir of cysteine;
- Regulate intracellular signal transduction and maintain normal cell life activities;
- Participate in the transmembrane transport of amino acids, promote the formation of white blood cells, and play an immune enhancement role;
Modern research has shown that various age-related chronic diseases, such as those associated with neurodegenerative diseases,
mitochondrial dysfunction, and even cancer, associated with poor or lacking GSH levels. Therefore, it is important to maintain a suitable glutathione intake.
Glutathione whitening pathway
Through these three pathways, glutathione can effectively inhibit melanin synthesis or reduce melanin, prevent melanin precipitation, and inhibit spots and dark yellow skin tone.
1. Block and remove free radicals
Uv light or its own metabolism can produce free radicals that can lead to increased melanin synthesis, so blocking or removing free radicals can inhibit melanin formation. Glutathione can eliminate free radicals, thereby inhibiting melanin synthesis.
2. Accelerate the metabolism of melanin intermediates
In the process of melanin synthesis, a variety of intermediates produced, including the oxidation of dopamine to produce dopa quinone,
and the oxidation of colorless dopamine pigment to produce red dopa pigment.
If these intermediates inhibited or the content of these intermediates changes,
it will also affect the content of melanin and the type of pigment.
Glutathione can make dobacone produce other products, thus blocking the synthesis of eumelanin,
so that the melanin synthesis pathway tends to be lighter brown melanin, thus making the skin white.
3. Inhibiting tyrosinase activity
Tyrosinase is a rate-limiting enzyme in the process of melanin production, and its activity determines the ability of melanin production,
while inhibiting tyrosinase activity can inhibit the synthesis and pigmentation of melanin.
Glutathione can bind to copper ion in tyrosinase and lose its activity.
And remove oxygen free radicals in the body, inhibit melanocyte proliferation.
