Study: Glutathione Helps Counter Side-Effects of Oxaliplatin

Italian researchers report that glutathione, an antioxidant composed of three amino acids, appears to help prevent the neurotoxicity often caused in advanced colorectal cancer patients by treatment with the chemotherapy drug oxaliplatin.

Reporting in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the researchers said that half of 52 colorectal cancer patients receiving oxaliplatin were given glutathione intravenously prior to each treatment, while the other half were given a normal saline solution.

They said after two months, seven of the patients given glutathione showed "clinically evident neuropathy" compared to 11 of those receiving the placebo. After four months, nine of those receiving glutathione suffered from neutotoxicity compared to 15 of those receiving the placebo.

The researchers said that using the National Cancer Institute common toxicity criteria, after six months, neurotoxicity was observed in three patients in receiving glutathione and in eight patients receiving the placebo.

"This study provides evidence that glutathione is a promising drug for the prevention of oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy, and that it does not reduce the clinical activity of oxaliplatin," the researchers concluded.

Other Sources: Journal of Clinical Oncology