SOD

Common Name(s): Cu/Zn SOD, Fe SOD, Metalloprotein, Mn Sod, Orgotein, Palosein

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Dec 22, 2021.

Clinical Overview

Use

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes are found in all living cells in several common forms. These enzymes have been used for anti-inflammatory effects (in osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis), but limited clinical trials are available to support use. Clinical trials evaluating the use of SOD in cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other conditions in which antioxidant status plays a role, are also lacking. No evidence exists regarding long-term use of SOD.

Dosing

Oral supplementation is limited by the enzyme’s inactivation by gastric acid; however, newer formulations may overcome this limitation.

Daily intravenous (IV) administration of 40 or 80 mg of lecithinized SOD over 28 days was compared with placebo in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Weekly administration of an intra-articular injection of SOD 8 to 32 mg has been studied.

A 500 mg dosage of plant-derived oral SOD (commercial product) taken once daily over 6 weeks was used in one clinical study.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not been identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Information from large clinical studies is lacking; however, adverse effects appear to be limited. Pain and irritation at injection sites have been reported.

Toxicology

SOD is regarded as nontoxic, based on data from earlier studies. Data on newer formulations are lacking.

Source

SOD was initially biochemically extracted from the serum and liver of animals, as well as from plant sources; however, this process was inefficient.1 Induction of oxidative stress in microbes has been the mainstay of SOD production; however, a method in which recombinant Cu/Zn SOD is produced in Escherichia coli and bound to lecithin has been developed.2, 3 Commercial preparations previously relied on bovine-derived SOD (orgotein and palosein), with patents also filed for yeast- and marine-derived SOD.1

History

In 1967, geneticist George J. Brewer described the protein indophenol oxidase, which was later identified as superoxide dismutase, in his work analyzing starch gels.4 The enzymatic activity of SOD was first described in 1968 by biochemists Irwin Fridovich and Joe M. McCord.5 In Germany, SOD (as orgotein) has long been used in general medicine as an anti-inflammatory agent.6

Chemistry

SOD has 3 recognized forms in humans and other mammals. SOD1 and SOD2 (intracellular) contain copper and zinc, and SOD2 (found in mitochondria) relies on manganese for reactivity. The enzymatic forms found in plants also have an iron form.1, 5

SOD enzymes catalyze the conversion of superoxide, a reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced during aerobic respiration, to oxygen and hydrogen peroxide.5

Uses and Pharmacology

The role of SOD as a dietary supplement is examined in this monograph; for information on SOD deficiency states, see standard medical references.1

Anti-inflammatory effects

The use of SOD as an anti-inflammatory agent has been postulated because increased production of ROS ...