Potential Toxic Effects of Different High Doses of Glutathione Injection: An Experimental Study

Abstract

Background: Glutathione injections for skin whitening have been widely used recently incapricious dosing regimens with no scientific evidence. The overall safety data on injectableglutathione are scarce. Objective: This study aims to investigate the potential toxic doses ofinjected glutathione, the possibility of inducing different organ dysfunction, and the recoverypattern if it occurs. Methods: Glutathione was injected intramuscularly into rats in two differenthigh doses, 124mg/kg and 248mg/kg (G II& III), twice per week for 13 weeks with the controlgroup (G I) in which rats did not receive the drug. Rats were sacrificed 1 hour, 1 week and 2weeks after the last administered dose. The liver, kidneys, and heart underwent histopathologicaland biochemical analysis. Results: The results revealed that at a dose of 124 mg/kg, no toxiceffect was shown on the liver, kidney, or heart. However, doubling the dose to 248mg/kg causeda toxic impact on the liver, which recovered 2 weeks after the last dose, and the kidney, with norecovery observed. No affection on the heart. Conclusions: Glutathione injection is proven tohave a potentially toxic effect when given at a dose of 248 mg/ kg twice / week for 13 weeks inrats. So, the drug dose must be adjusted for its