Organic Germanium Is An Antioxidant
1. Organic Germanium (Ge-132) protects against the accumulation of amyloid, a free-radical oxidative endproduct, in mice (98).
A disease called amyloidosis results from an imbalance in the process of protein breakdown, resulting in the accumulation of amyloid. Amyloidosis may be associated with chronic inflammatory diseases, immune amyloidosis with plasma cell disorders, localized amyloid deposition in neuroendocrine organs, or congenital deficiency of enzymes which break down amyloid precursors. Reports in the clinical literature report that amyloidosis can be induced by immunosuppressive agents. In a laboratory study in Japan, organic Germanium significantly inhibited (50% of the untreated group) the induction of amyloidosis in mice. The mechanisms of this suppression remain to be elucidated.
2. Organic Germanium (Ge-132) protects cystein, a sulfhydryl amino acid, from becoming oxidized in solution (105).
Cystein is a sulfur-containing amino acid. Solutions of cysteine have been found to have favourable effects upon eye conditions, notably corneal ulcers, corneal burns and sicca syndrome. However, water solutions of cysteine are rather rapidly oxidized to form an insoluble product, necessitating the constant preparation of new solutions. Germanium was found to stabilize solutions of cysteine and inhibit its oxidation; preparations remained water soluble for up to one week. This demonstrates one therapeutic application of Germanium's anti-oxidant properties.
3. Organic Germanium (Sanumgerman) has significant activating effects upon superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione-related enzyme systems in rats (38). The dose-related dynamics of activation are different for the two enzyme systems.
Several doctoral dissertations from the Institute of Physiological Chemistry in Hanover (23) deal with the effects of organic Germanium compounds (Sanumgerman and variants of the formulation) upon glutathione-related enzyme systems as well as superoxide dismutase in rats. These results are herein consolidated:
i. Cytoplasmic and microsomal glutathione-S-transferase were activated.
ii. Glutathione peroxidases (GSH-Px) were activated, the concentration of reduced glutathione (GSH) increased, whereas total glutathione (TG) levels were affected according to the particular organic ligand of Germanium used.
iii. Activation of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was biphasic, dose-dependent, as well as affected by the particular type of Germanium organic ligand used.
iv. Catalase activity of liver mitochondria and peroxisomes is modulated according to dose and Germanium substance used.
The ability of organic Germanium to modulate the activities of known anti-oxidants Glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and possibly catalase, provides solid evidence of organic Germanium's anti-oxidant properties.
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