The protective effect of ergothionein on cells

Ergothionein is a powerful hypochlorous acid scavenger (HOCl), and although many compounds can react with hypochlorous acid, few can react as rapidly as ergothionein. A1- Anti protease inhibitors (APIs), such as elastase, are particularly sensitive to hypochlorous acid, and physiological concentrations of ergotamine can effectively protect APIs against inactivation caused by hypochlorous acid. As neutrophils are the main source of hypochlorous acid in the body, one of the functions of ergotamine is to protect red blood cells from harm from neutrophils in normal functioning or pathological inflammatory sites.