Antioxidant Action of Ergothioneine: Assessment of Its Ability to Scavenge Peroxynitrite

The superoxide radical (O•− 2) and nitric oxide (NO•) combine very rapidly to form peroxynitrite (ONOO−), a reactive tissue damaging nitrogen species thought to be involved in the pathology of several chronic diseases. The natural product ergothioneine protects against the nitration of tyrosine and the inactivation of α1-antiproteinase by ONOO−. Ergothioneine merits further investigation as a biological and therapeutic antioxidant agent.