Novel dinuclear peroxo complexes of tungsten with coordinated cystine of the type A(2)[W(2)O(3)(O(2))(4)(cystine)].4H(2)O, A = Na (1) or K (2) have been synthesized from the reaction of A(2)WO(4,)cysteine and 30% H(2)O(2)at pH 2.5. The synthesized compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, spectral and physico-chemical methods. The two W(VI) centres with side-on bound peroxo groups of the dinuclear complex species are bridged by an oxo group and a cystine ligand, formed from the oxidation of cysteine. Cystine occurring as zwitterion binds the metal centers of the complex ion through O(carboxylate) atoms leading to hepta co-ordination around each W(VI). The compounds exhibit high stability toward decomposition in solution of acidic as well as physiological pH and serve as weak substrates to catalase, undergoing degradation in presence of the enzyme at a rate much slower relative to H(2)O(2). The compounds efficiently oxidized GSH to GSSG, a reaction in which only two of the peroxide groups of the complex species were found to participate. The compounds induce strong inhibitory effect on alkaline phosphatase activity with a potency higher than that of the free cystine, tungstate, or peroxotungstate.