The Combined Antioxidant Effects of N-Acetylcysteine, Vitamin D3, and Glutathione from the Intestinal–Neuronal In Vitro Model
Simone Mulè,
Sara Ferrari,
Giorgia Rosso,
Arianna Brovero,
Mattia Botta,
Alessia Congiusta,
Rebecca Galla,
Claudio Molinari,
Francesca Uberti
Affiliations
Simone Mulè
Laboratory of Physiology, Department for Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, University of Piemonte Orientale, UPO, 13100 Vercelli, Italy
Sara Ferrari
Laboratory of Physiology, Department for Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, University of Piemonte Orientale, UPO, 13100 Vercelli, Italy
Giorgia Rosso
Laboratory of Physiology, Department for Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, University of Piemonte Orientale, UPO, 13100 Vercelli, Italy
Arianna Brovero
Laboratory of Physiology, Department for Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, University of Piemonte Orientale, UPO, 13100 Vercelli, Italy
Mattia Botta
Laboratory of Physiology, Department for Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, University of Piemonte Orientale, UPO, 13100 Vercelli, Italy
Alessia Congiusta
Laboratory of Physiology, Department for Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, University of Piemonte Orientale, UPO, 13100 Vercelli, Italy
Rebecca Galla
Laboratory of Physiology, Department for Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, University of Piemonte Orientale, UPO, 13100 Vercelli, Italy
Claudio Molinari
Laboratory of Physiology, Department for Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, University of Piemonte Orientale, UPO, 13100 Vercelli, Italy
Francesca Uberti
Laboratory of Physiology, Department for Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, University of Piemonte Orientale, UPO, 13100 Vercelli, Italy
Chronic oxidative stress has been consistently linked to age-related diseases, conditions, and degenerative syndromes. Specifically, the brain is the organ that significantly contributes to declining quality of life in ageing. Since the body cannot completely counteract the detrimental effects of oxidative stress, nutraceuticals’ antioxidant properties have received significant attention in recent years. This study assesses the potential health benefits of a novel combination of glutathione, vitamin D3, and N-acetylcysteine. To examine the combination’s absorption and biodistribution and confirm that it has no harmful effects, the bioavailability of the mixture was first evaluated in a 3D model that mimicked the intestinal barrier. Further analyses on the blood–brain barrier was conducted to determine the antioxidant effects of the combination in the nervous system. The results show that the combination reaches the target and successfully crosses the blood–brain and intestinal barriers, demonstrating enhanced advantages on the neurological system, such as a reduction (about 10.5%) in inflammation and enhancement in cell myelination (about 20.4%) and brain tropism (about 18.1%) compared to the control. The results support the cooperative effect of N-acetylcysteine, vitamin D3, and glutathione to achieve multiple health benefits, outlining the possibility of an alternative nutraceutical approach.
