Reviewer's report 
 Oxidised and reduced glutathione and related thiols in human gallbladder bile. Title: 
 1  1 October 2006 Version: Date: 
 Derick Han Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
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Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can be reached) 
The paper examines GSH and other thiol levels and redox status in human gallbladder. While the data is 
very valuable since it is from human samples, some caution must be taken since samples were taken from people with cancer and severe inflammatory disease. The data is insufficient to make statement such as “In 
contrast to earlier data on rodent bile, human bile did contain far less glutathione, whereas most thiols is 
present were in the oxidized state” in the abstract. Since the data was taken from people with disease states such statement are not valid. It is well accepted disease states affect GSH levels and redox state. Thus, the paper should stress that people with disease states have low GSH and greater oxidized thiols. 
Normal human GSH levels and redox state remains uncertain since control human samples can not be 
obtained. 
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Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the author can be trusted to correct) 
Minor point: The authors should use accepted abbreviations for thiols in the table. For example glutathione 
should be labeled “GSH” and oxidized glutathione should be labeled “GSSG”. 
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Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have responded to the major What next?: 
compulsory revisions 
 An article of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Acceptable Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interest. 
Reviewer's report 
 Oxidised and reduced glutathione and related thiols in human gallbladder bile. Title: 
 1  1 October 2006 Version: Date: 
 Derick Han Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can be reached) 
The paper examines GSH and other thiol levels and redox status in human gallbladder. While the data is 
very valuable since it is from human samples, some caution must be taken since samples were taken from people with cancer and severe inflammatory disease. The data is insufficient to make statement such as “In 
contrast to earlier data on rodent bile, human bile did contain far less glutathione, whereas most thiols is 
present were in the oxidized state” in the abstract. Since the data was taken from people with disease states such statement are not valid. It is well accepted disease states affect GSH levels and redox state. Thus, the paper should stress that people with disease states have low GSH and greater oxidized thiols. 
Normal human GSH levels and redox state remains uncertain since control human samples can not be 
obtained. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the author can be trusted to correct) 
Minor point: The authors should use accepted abbreviations for thiols in the table. For example glutathione 
should be labeled “GSH” and oxidized glutathione should be labeled “GSSG”. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have responded to the major What next?: 
compulsory revisions 
 An article of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Acceptable Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interest. 
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report 
 Oxidised and reduced glutathione and related thiols in human gallbladder bile. Title: 
 1  1 October 2006 Version: Date: 
 Derick Han Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can be reached) 
The paper examines GSH and other thiol levels and redox status in human gallbladder. While the data is 
very valuable since it is from human samples, some caution must be taken since samples were taken from people with cancer and severe inflammatory disease. The data is insufficient to make statement such as “In 
contrast to earlier data on rodent bile, human bile did contain far less glutathione, whereas most thiols is 
present were in the oxidized state” in the abstract. Since the data was taken from people with disease states such statement are not valid. It is well accepted disease states affect GSH levels and redox state. Thus, the paper should stress that people with disease states have low GSH and greater oxidized thiols. 
Normal human GSH levels and redox state remains uncertain since control human samples can not be 
obtained. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the author can be trusted to correct) 
Minor point: The authors should use accepted abbreviations for thiols in the table. For example glutathione 
should be labeled “GSH” and oxidized glutathione should be labeled “GSSG”. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have responded to the major What next?: 
compulsory revisions 
 An article of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Acceptable Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interest. 
assistant