Hepatic conjugation

Phase 2 of hepatic detoxification during which metabolites from phase 1 are bound to a polar molecule (glucuronide, sulphate, glutathione, amino acid) to become water-soluble and eliminable via bile or urine. Conjugation neutralises potentially toxic reactive intermediates from phase 1. It depends on nutritional cofactors: glutathione (cysteine, glycine, glutamic acid), methyl (folates, B12), sulphate (dietary sulphur) and glucuronate (magnesium).