Research background · Updated November 1, 2026
Glutathione Research: Publications, Study Types and Background
Short answer
Glutathione. As of November 1, 2026, PubMed indexes 33,753 records matching Glutathione, the earliest from 1923; 3,887 were published in 2021–2025 and 1,633 are reviews. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 1,171 registered studies matching the compound.
- PubMed records
- 33,753
- Earliest record
- 1923
- Published 2021–2025
- 3,887
- Reviews
- 1,633
- Animal-only studies
- 12,648
- Registered studies
- 1,171
Publications per year, 2006–2025
8,334 records in 2016–2025 against 8,567 in 2006–2015; the busiest year was 2012, with 942.
See the numbers
| Year | PubMed records |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 804 |
| 2007 | 825 |
| 2008 | 796 |
| 2009 | 841 |
| 2010 | 854 |
| 2011 | 900 |
| 2012 | 942 |
| 2013 | 869 |
| 2014 | 899 |
| 2015 | 837 |
| 2016 | 795 |
| 2017 | 740 |
| 2018 | 829 |
| 2019 | 845 |
| 2020 | 868 |
| 2021 | 881 |
| 2022 | 855 |
| 2023 | 808 |
| 2024 | 888 |
| 2025 | 825 |
Study types
| All PubMed records | 33,753 |
|---|---|
| Reviews | 1,6335% |
| Animal studies (no human subjects indexed) | 12,64837% |
| Indexed as clinical trials | 4811% |
| Registered on ClinicalTrials.gov | 1,171 |
Categories overlap and follow PubMed’s own indexing; recent records may not be indexed yet.
Primary research directions
What 3 of the most-cited and most recent Glutathione papers report, in their own authors’ terms. Each line links the paper it came from.
Redox balance and antioxidant defense
This review describes glutathione as a non-enzymatic antioxidant that maintains redox balance and detoxifies reactive oxygen species, and as a cofactor for glutathione peroxidase 4, which converts lipid peroxides to non-toxic lipid alcohols and so limits ferroptosis.
ReviewXue X 2025Cancer lettersPMID 40189013
Detoxification enzymes
This review of the glutathione transferase families states that they detoxify electrophilic xenobiotics and inactivate endogenous reactive aldehydes, quinones, epoxides and hydroperoxides formed during oxidative metabolism.
ReviewHayes JD 2005Annual review of pharmacology and toxicologyPMID 15822171
Glutathione synthesis and cellular roles
This review states that glutathione is the most abundant low-molecular-weight thiol and the major redox couple in animal cells, with roles in antioxidant defense, nutrient metabolism and cell processes including proliferation, apoptosis and immune response, and that deficiency contributes to oxidative stress.
ReviewWu G 2004The Journal of nutritionPMID 14988435
Most-studied topics
The Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) PubMed indexers most often marked as a main topic, across 400 of the 33,753 records. They describe what the literature is about, not what Glutathione does.
- Glutathione300 papers
- Glutathione Transferase78 papers
- Glutathione Reductase57 papers
- Glutathione Peroxidase56 papers
- Liver25 papers
- Erythrocytes16 papers
- Glutathione Synthase13 papers
- Peroxidases11 papers
Key papers
Earliest indexed record
Quastel JH (1923). The Biochemical journal.
PMID 16743256Most-cited paper · 5,611 citations
Meister A (1983). Annual review of biochemistry.
PMID 6137189Most-cited #2 · 3,814 citations
Flohé L (1984). Methods in enzymology.
PMID 6727659Most-cited #3 · 3,675 citations
Griffith OW (1980). Analytical biochemistry.
PMID 7416462
Citation counts from NIH iCite, among the 400 records sampled. Titles are left out; open each record on PubMed to read it.
Identity
| CAS | 70-18-8 |
|---|---|
| Molecular formula | C10H17N3O6S |
| Molecular weight | 307.33 g/mol |
| Synonyms | glutathione, L-Glutathione reduced, L-Glutathione, Glutathion, Isethion |
Identity data from PubChem, retrieved November 1, 2026, on the Glutathione page.
How these numbers were counted
- PubMed search, run November 1, 2026:
glutathione[ti]re-run it. Study types add PubMed’s own filters (review, clinical trial, animals not humans). - Topics: MeSH major-topic headings counted across up to 400 of the matching records; headings for study set-up (species, sex, age) are left out.
- Citations: NIH iCite citation counts for the same records.
- ClinicalTrials.gov search:
glutathionere-run it. Any phase, any status.
This page reports what has been published and what papers say they found, with each source linked. It gives no dosing or usage information, and nothing here is a reason to use Glutathione outside a laboratory.
Wholesale supply
Glutathione, sourced to order for research.
Not held in the listed catalog. Tell us the vial size and the number of vials and we come back with availability, documentation and pricing in writing.
Glutathione research questions
How much research has been published on Glutathione?
PubMed indexes 33,753 records matching Glutathione (searched November 1, 2026), including 1,633 reviews and 481 records indexed as clinical trials. 3,887 were published in the five years 2021–2025.
When was Glutathione first described in the literature?
The earliest PubMed record matching Glutathione is from 1923 (Quastel JH, The Biochemical journal, PMID 16743256).
What topics does the Glutathione literature cover?
The subject headings PubMed indexers most often marked as a main topic of Glutathione papers are Glutathione, Glutathione Transferase, Glutathione Reductase, Glutathione Peroxidase. These describe what the literature is about. Findings from individual papers, with their sources, are summarized on this page.
Is Glutathione sold for human use?
No. Vanta Foundry supplies it for laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use, and not a drug, food, cosmetic or dietary supplement.
Where can I buy Glutathione wholesale for research?
We source Glutathione to order rather than stock it. Tell us the vial size and number of vials on WhatsApp or by email and the quote confirms availability, documentation and pricing.
Research materials supplied by Vanta Foundry are for laboratory research use only. They are not for human or veterinary use and are not drugs, foods, cosmetics or dietary supplements. Websites and payment processing are business services for research-supply brands.
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