856699-18-8

Biliverdin is a green bile pigment produced from the oxidation of heme in a reaction catalyzed by heme oxygenase and is further reduced to bilirubin by biliverdin reductase.^1,2 Biliverdin regulates the cellular heme degradation process by inhibiting substrates from binding to the catalytic site of heme oxygenase. Bile pigments such as biliverdin are known to possess anti-mutagenic and antioxidant properties.^3,4

1. Liu, Y., Mo?nne-Loccoz, P., Loehr, T.M., et al. Heme oxygenase-1, intermediates in verdoheme formation and the requirement for reduction equivalents J. Biol. Chem. 272,6909-6917(1997).
2. Maines, M.D. The heme oxygenase system: A regulator of second messenger gases Annu. Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol. 37,517-554(1997).
3. Bulmer, A.C., Ried, K., Blanchfield, J.T., et al. The anti-mutagenic properties of bile pigments Mutat. Res. 658(1-2),28-41(2008).
4. M?lzer, C., Huber, H., Steyrer, A., et al. In vitro antioxidant capacity and antigenotoxic properties of protoporphyrin and structurally related tetrapyrroles Free Radic. Res. 46(11),1369-1377(2012).