G6PD

G6PD, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, an enzyme in red blood cells, initiates the pentose phosphate pathway, producing NADPH, which protects hemoglobin from oxidative damage and maintains membrane integrity. A deficiency in G6PD leaves red blood cells vulnerable to oxidative stressors like specific drugs, certain foods, or infections, potentially causing hemolysis. This X-linked trait is more common in males and affects an estimated 400 million people worldwide, especially in the Mediterranean, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Southern China. Clinically, G6PD deficiency presents as hemolytic anemia with symptoms such as jaundice, pallor, dark urine, and abdominal pain.