Bilirubin

개요Bilirubin is a yellow breakdown product of heme catabolism, formed when heme is cleaved by heme oxygenase. This reaction produces carbon monoxide and biliverdin, which is rapidly reduced to bilirubin by biliverdin reductase. Bilirubin has key roles as a free radical scavenger with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. Free and albumin-bound bilirubin can also scavenge nitric oxide (NO) and NO-related species. Unconjugated bilirubin is highly water-insoluble and must be conjugated with glucuronides to become water soluble and subsequently excreted by the liver and kidney.

용도Bilirubin is widely utilized to monitor the liver function and their disease, such as hepatitis or cirrhosis; or the effects of medicines which are damage the liver. It acts as a pigment in certain algae to capture light energy. Its double bonds are isomerizes in the presence of light, which is employed in phototherapy of jaundiced newborns babies. It is used to detect the blocking in bile ducts.

일반 설명Bilirubin, a heme catabolism end-product is produced by the reduction of its metabolic precursor biliverdin by the action of enzyme biliverdin reductase.