Glutathione functional group metabolism

The acid-soluble SH-groups in platelets are mainly those of glutathione (GSH). GSH is a cofactor for enzymes such as peroxidase. If feverfew is able to interfere with this cofactor, enzyme function may be impaired. One pathway that may be affected in this way is the metabolism of arachidonic acid (Figure 6.1). In the presence of feverfew extract an increase was found in lipoxygenase product formation and impaired conversion of HPETE to HETE, for which GSH is a cofactor [52]. Inhibition of the liberation of [ " C]arachidonic acid from phospholipids was also found [53], which implies impairment of phospholipase A2 activity and for which SH-groups are thought to be important. 

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