Background: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) accounts for a fifth of
all Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) infections worldwide.
The rise of multidrug resistance in M. tb alongside the hepatotoxicity
associated with antibiotics presents challenges in managing and treating
tuberculosis (TB), thereby prompting a need for new therapeutic approaches.
Administration of liposomal glutathione (L-GSH) has previously been shown to
lower oxidative stress, enhance a granulomatous response, and reduce the burden
of M. tb in the lungs of M. tb-infected mice. However, the
effects of L-GSH supplementation during active EPTB in the liver and spleen have
yet to be explored. Methods: In this study, we evaluated hepatic glutathione
(GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and the cytokine profiles of untreated
and L-GSH-treated M. tb-infected wild type (WT) mice. Additionally, the hepatic and
splenic M. tb burdens and tissue pathologies were also assessed.
Results: L-GSH supplementation increased total hepatic levels and reduced GSH. A
decrease in the levels of MDA, oxidized GSH, and interleukin (IL)-6 was also
detected following L-GSH treatment. Furthermore, L-GSH supplementation was
observed to increase interferon-gamma (IFN-
