The role of glutathione in intestinal dysfunction.

Glutathione plays an important cytoprotective role in the gut. Animal studies have demonstrated that the provisions of glutathione precursors are protective for different types of free-radical-mediated cellular injury. There is a need to clarify the potential role of glutathione supplementation in ischemia-reperfusion injury and inflammatory bowel disease. More speculative is whether treatment with glutathione precursors can modify the progress of colorectal cancer.