Open Access Journal
QUALIS
B1
2021-2024
quadriênio
Open Access Journal
B1
2021-2024
quadriênio
Artigos | Vol. 4 Issue 3 (2026)
Published in May 23, 2026
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is one of the most frequent enzymopathies in the world, especially in areas where malaria is endemic. This enzyme is responsible for producing reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), a glutathione-reducing agent (GSH), which protects red blood cells against oxidative damage. Deficiency of this enzyme can cause hemolysis due to oxidative stress. The aim of this study is to analyze the biochemical mechanisms of hemolysis induced by oxidative stress in patients with G6PD deficiency. A qualitative literature review was conducted using the PubMed and SciELO databases, based on 34 articles in English and Portuguese, using the descriptors "G6PD deficiency", "Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase", "oxidative stress", "hemolysis", and "biochemical mechanisms". The accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting from the loss of protection from the intracellular antioxidant agent due to reduced enzymatic activity in the oxidative phase of the pentose phosphate pathway, glutathione, favors oxidative stress in erythrocytes, causing lipid peroxidation and hemoglobin oxidation. Understanding these biochemical mechanisms is crucial for proper clinical management, which includes pre-treatment screening and specific therapeutic alternatives to prevent more serious complications such as acute hemolytic anemia and neonatal jaundice.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2026 Beatriz Vitória Coutinho Barbosa, James De Oliveira Junior, Izabela Oliveira de Barros
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4435-1514