In the pursuit of health and beauty, people have never stopped the exploration of natural ingredients. In recent years, Ergothioneine (EGT), a natural antioxidant, has gradually entered the public eye, and has become a hot topic in scientific research and industry for its excellent antioxidant properties and wide application prospects.
What is ergothionein?
Ergothionein is a rare sulfur-containing amino acid that was first discovered in a fungus called Claviceps purpurea. The pure product is a white crystal, with good water solubility and stability, and will not oxidize itself at physiological pH values and in strong alkali solutions. With its unique chemical structure and biological activity, it has shown strong effects in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and other aspects.
Antioxidant mechanism of ergothioneine
As a powerful natural antioxidant, the antioxidant mechanism of ergothioneine is multifaceted. First, it can directly react with free radicals to remove reactive oxygen species in the body, such as hydroxyl radicals, superoxide radicals and hydrogen peroxide. Second, ergothione is able to form stable chelates with transition metal ions in the body, such as copper ions, thereby preventing metal ions from catalyzing oxidative stress reactions. In addition, ergothionein can also activate a variety of antioxidant enzymes to help remove reactive oxygen species in the body, and inhibit the activity of oxidase to reduce the production of reactive oxygen species.
The Yale team's research points out that reduced levels of ergothionein in the human body are directly related to aging, further proving its important role in anti-aging. Bruce Ames, a member of the American Academy of Sciences, called ergothione a "longevity nutrient", highlighting its key role in health maintenance.
The wide application of ergothioneine
Cosmetics field
Ergothione is particularly widely used in cosmetics. Well-known brands such as L 'Oreal have used it in anti-aging products, taking advantage of its ability to reduce protein glycosylation, improve facial contours and prevent the appearance of orange lines. In addition, ergothioneine can also promote the absorption of active ingredients by cells, which works synergistically with other antioxidants to achieve better skin care results.
Medical field
In the field of medicine, ergothione is widely used in drug development and therapy because of its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-tumor biological activities. It can be used as a stabilizer and solubilizer to improve the efficacy and stability of drugs. At the same time, ergothioneine can also protect DNA from oxidative stress damage, prevent gene mutations and cell death, providing new ideas for treating a variety of diseases.
Food and beverage
As a natural food additive, ergothione has the functions of flavor enhancement, flavor enhancement and anti-corrosion, which can improve the taste and nutritional value of food and extend the shelf life of food. Its antioxidant effect can also protect the nutrients in the food from loss, which is conducive to maintaining the nutritional value of the food. At present, ergothione has been approved as a new food ingredient in many countries and regions.
Agricultural field
In the field of agriculture, ergothioneine, as a natural plant growth regulator, has the function of promoting plant growth and improving stress resistance. It can improve the yield and quality of crops, reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides, and is conducive to the realization of green agriculture and sustainable development. In addition, ergothionein can also be used as the main component of biological pesticides, which has a significant effect on the control of crop diseases and pests.
Future prospects of ergothioneine
With the advancement of science and technology and the deepening of research, the application field of ergothioneine will continue to expand. At present, the preparation technology of ergothionein mainly includes chemical synthesis, natural biological extraction and biosynthesis. Among them, biosynthesis has become the mainstream of ergothionein preparation for its advantages of low cost, high efficiency and safety. In the future, with the rapid development of synthetic biology, the production cost of ergothione will be further reduced, and its market application will be more extensive.
Source of ergothioneine
Ergothioneine (EGT) is a naturally occurring sulfur-containing amino acid with significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging biological activities. It is widely distributed in a variety of foods, especially certain plant and animal foods. The following are the main sources of ergothione in food:
Edible fungi
Mushrooms: Especially entrap mushrooms, pleurotus eryngii and white mushrooms are excellent sources of ergothioneine. Not only are these edible mushrooms rich in nutrients, they are also favored by healthy eaters because of their high ergot content.
Delicious porcini, pilosa, etc. : These edible fungi can also produce the precursor histidine trimethylendolide required for the synthesis of ergothionein, and may directly contain a certain amount of ergothionein.
Animal food
Red blood cells and semen of certain animals: ergothioneine is mainly found in the tissues of these animals, and although it has not been directly proved that animals can synthesize the substance, there is certainly a pathway for the absorption and retention of ergothioneine in animal cells.
Pig blood: As a common animal food, pig blood also contains a certain amount of ergothionein, which provides antioxidant protection for consumers.
Grains and beans
Grains such as oats and barley, although relatively low in ergothione, are still an option to obtain this substance.
Legumes: Beans, such as black and red beans, also contain a certain amount of ergothionein, providing an additional source of antioxidants for vegetarians or those pursuing a varied diet.
Other sources
Ergot: As one of the sources of the ergothione name, ergot itself also contains this natural antioxidant. However, ergot is not safe to eat directly due to the toxic ingredients it contains, such as ergot, so it is not usually used as a primary food source of ergothioneine.
In summary, ergothione can be found in a variety of foods, especially edible fungi, animal foods, and some cereals and legumes. With a balanced diet, people can easily consume enough ergothionein to enjoy the health benefits it brings.
It should be noted that although ergothione is distributed in a variety of foods, its content may vary depending on factors such as food type, growing environment and processing methods. Therefore, when choosing food, you should try to choose fresh and unprocessed ingredients to ensure the integrity and effectiveness of nutrients such as ergothione.
The action of ergothionein
1. Antioxidant effect
Highly effective antioxidant: ergothione can remove free radicals in the body and protect cells from oxidative damage. Its antioxidant capacity is significant, far more than other common antioxidants such as idobenzene, glutathione and coenzyme Q10.
Protection of mitochondrial DNA: The antioxidant effect of ergothioneine goes deep into the DNA level, which can effectively protect mitochondria from free radical damage, thereby protecting DNA from damage.
Reduce oxidative stress: ergothioneine can reduce the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and reduce the deposition of oxidized LDL on blood vessel walls, thereby reducing the risk of atherosclerosis.
2. Anti-inflammatory effect
Inhibiting inflammatory mediators: ergothione can inhibit the generation of inflammatory mediators and reduce the role of inflammatory mediators in the inflammatory process, thereby reducing inflammatory response.
Inhibiting inflammatory cells: ergothione can inhibit the activation and migration of inflammatory cells, effectively alleviating inflammatory response.
Pain relief: By inhibiting the synthesis of cyclooxygenase and prostaglandins, ergothioneine can reduce pain and inflammation.
3. Cell protection
Protect cells from damage: ergothione can protect cells from hypoxia, ischemia, inflammation and other damage, maintain the normal function of cells.
Promote cell repair: ergothioneine can promote autophagy, remove waste and damage substances in cells, and contribute to cell repair and regeneration.
Inhibit apoptosis: ergothioneine can inhibit apoptosis signaling pathway, reduce the incidence of apoptosis, and protect cells from damage and death.
4. Other functions
Antidepressant: ergothioneine can inhibit the release of dopamine and norepinephrine in the central nervous system, thereby relieving depressive symptoms.
Antiepileptic: ergothioneine can inhibit the abnormal firing of neurons, thus relieving the symptoms of epilepsy.
Anti-tumor: ergothioneine can inhibit the growth and spread of tumor cells, induce the apoptosis of tumor cells, enhance the immune function of the body, and improve the anti-tumor ability of the body.
Protect the heart and liver: ergothione can protect the heart from ischemia-reperfusion damage, protect the liver from drug damage, etc.
Enhance immunity: ergothioneine can regulate the function of immune cells, improve the body's immunity, and help prevent and treat autoimmune diseases and infectious diseases.
Sun protection and anti-aging: ergothione can reduce the damage to the skin from ultraviolet radiation and computer electronic products and other light sources, effectively anti-photoaging, and help improve the skin condition.
Matters needing attention
Ergothione has certain side effects and contraindications, such as heart disease, hypertension, arrhythmia and other patients should be used under the guidance of a doctor.
When using ergothioneine, it is necessary to pay attention to the dose and frequency to avoid adverse reactions caused by excessive use.
In summary, ergothionein, as a powerful natural antioxidant, has shown excellent biological activities and effects in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cell protection and many other aspects, and has a wide range of application prospects and potential health benefits.
In short, as a natural, safe and efficient antioxidant, ergothioneine has shown great application potential and market prospects in many fields such as medicine, cosmetics, food and agriculture. We have reason to believe that in the coming days, ergothioneine will become the "star ingredient" in more products, contributing more power to human health and beauty.
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