Glutathione as a Potential Neuroprotectant Against MDMA-Induced Oxidative Stress, Neuroinflammation, and Apoptosis in the Rat Brain.
Neurochemical research May 6, 2026 Oyedayo Phillips Akano, Goodness Olatinwo, Moses Agbomhere Hamed et al.
In male Wistar rats given MDMA (ecstasy) orally for 56 days, the drug caused oxidative damage, inflammation, neurotransmitter imbalances, and cell death in the brain, especially in the hippocampus. Co-administration of the antioxidant glutathione partially reversed these harmful effects at moderate MDMA doses by restoring antioxidant defenses, reducing inflammation, and preserving hippocampal structure. However, at higher MDMA doses, glutathione's protective effects were much weaker, indicating that additional treatments are needed to address excitotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction.