Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117596, Singapore; Life Science Institute, Neurobiology Programme, Centre for Life Sciences, National University of Singapore, 117456, Singapore
Barry Halliwell
Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117596, Singapore; Life Science Institute, Neurobiology Programme, Centre for Life Sciences, National University of Singapore, 117456, Singapore; Corresponding author. National University of Singapore, Life Science Institute, Neurobiology Programme, Centre for Life Sciences, 28 Medical Drive, #04-19A, 117456, Singapore.
There has been a recent surge of interest in the unique low molecular weight dietary thiol/thione, ergothioneine. This compound can accumulate at high levels in the body from diet and may play important physiological roles in human health and development, and possibly in prevention and treatment of disease. Blood levels of ergothioneine decline with age and onset of various diseases. Here we highlight recent advances in our knowledge of ergothioneine.