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Nutraceutical Intervention for Treatment of Alcoholism and Drinking Problems
Published in Raj K. Keservani, Anil K. Sharma, Rajesh K. Kesharwani, Nutraceuticals and Dietary Supplements, 2020
The supplementation of the diet with vitamin and mineral preparations is also known as “orthomolecular medicine” and has strong advocates in the addiction field, although these nutrients should be used carefully and in a pure form. A high-potency multivitamin preparation will assist detoxification and stabilize mood. Vitamins B are particularly important in this regard that are generally depleted after a period of drug or alcohol abuse, and 50 mg daily of a B complex is effective. Chromium plays an important role in stabilizing blood sugar and thus alleviates cravings. The amino acid L-glutamine will improve energy levels and stabilize mood, both of which can fluctuate for long periods, both during the period of immediate withdrawal and in the post-acute withdrawal period that can last for up to a year. The serotonin precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan will help with depression and anxiety (Hoffer and Saul, 2009).
Single Amino Acids
Published in Luke R. Bucci, Nutrition Applied to Injury Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, 2020
Another application of tryptophan has been in fibromyalgia. The fibromyalgia symptoms of musculoskeletal pain, tender points, fatigue, and disturbed sleep suggested a defect in serotonin, and possibly a tryptophan deficiency. Fibromyalgia patients consistently exhibited decreased plasma tryptophan387,388 or ratio of plasma tryptophan to large, neutral amino acids (LNAAs).383 Another study found that although plasma levels of tryptophan were normal, the plasma unbound tryptophan levels were inversely correlated to severity of pain symptoms in fibromyalgia.389 Ratios of tryptophan to LNAAs were inversely correlated with paresthiasis, headaches, number of tender points, and Hassles score.388 Puttini and Caruso, from the Rheumatology Unit of L Sacco Hospital in Milan, Italy, conducted a double-blind trial lasting 30 d on 50 patients with fibromyalgia.390 The patients who received 100 mg of 5-hydroxytryptophan (OHTRP) 3 times daily showed significant reductions in symptoms compared to placebo and initial values. “Good” or “fair” clinical improvement was seen in 50% of OHTRP-treated patients, with reductions in number of tender points, anxiety, pain intensity, fatigue, and improvement of sleep quality. Thus, tryptophan supplementation appeared to ameliorate pain symptoms of some fibromyalgia patients.
Diseases of the Nervous System
Published in George Feuer, Felix A. de la Iglesia, Molecular Biochemistry of Human Disease, 2020
George Feuer, Felix A. de la Iglesia
Catecholamines and serotonin do not cross the blood-brain barrier in appreciable amounts, but the parent compounds 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (dopa) and 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan do so. These amino acids affect some brain functions. The concentrations of catecholamines and serotonin are raised by dopa and 5-hydroxytryptophan, respectively. Dopa exerts alerting effects on animals and improves the performance of conditioned response tests probably after being converted to catecholamine in tissues. These actions represent direct effects on the central nervous system since they are potentiated by the administration of monoamine oxidase inhibitors. In contrast to dopa, 5-hydroxytryptophan has deteriorating effects on test performance, and this action is enhanced by monoamine oxidase inhibitors. In low doses, 5-hydroxytryptophan produces drowsiness, sedation, and lethargy, and at high doses excitement, agitated behavior suggestive of fear and rage, and/or an increased emotional tension. Dopa and 5-hydroxytryptophan elicit contrasting actions on electroencephalogram; dopa shows arousal patterns, and 5-hydroxytryptophan induces changes observed in sleep.
Pharmacotherapeutic management of sleep disorders in children with neurodevelopmental disorders
Published in Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, 2019
Oliviero Bruni, Marco Angriman, Maria Grazia Melegari, Raffaele Ferri
5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is the intermediate metabolite of the essential amino acid LT in the biosynthesis of serotonin. It easily crosses the blood-brain barrier and effectively increases CNS synthesis of serotonin. The effects of 5-HTP on sleep structure are conflicting: an increase or decrease in REM sleep and an increase in SWS have been reported in a review paper [136]. The exact mechanism of action of the sedative effects of 5-HTP is not completely clear, and it is unclear if it is mediated only by conversion into serotonin. Early studies suggested that serotonin might help produce NREM and possibly REM sleep, but more recent work indicates that serotonin generally promotes wakefulness and suppresses REM sleep [137]. It seems, however, that the effect of serotonin on sleep-wake behavior might depend upon the differential activation of the serotonergic system (systemic administration of low vs. high doses of the precursor 5-HTP) and the time at which the activation occurs (light vs. dark period of the light-dark cycle) [138]. It has been hypothesized that the 5-HTP-related increase in SWS during the dark period depends upon the synthesis or release of as yet to be identified sleep-promoting factors [139].
In silico and in vitro antioxidant activity profiles of urea and thiourea derivatives of 5-hydroxytryptophan
Published in Journal of Receptors and Signal Transduction, 2019
Hasti Sudhamani, Gandavaram Syam Prasad, Chintha Venkataramaiah, Chamarthi Naga Raju, Wudayagiri Rajendra
In recent years much attention has been paid on antioxidative peptides by the researchers, due to their low-molecular-weight, easy absorption and high activity. Amino acids and their derivatives, such as cysteine, histidine, tryptophan, lysine, arginine, leucine, valine and 5-hydroxy tryptophan have reported for their antioxidant activities [2–5]. 5-Hydroxytryptophan is a naturally occurring amino acid with amino and hydroxy groups and metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of the neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin. The electron-rich indole moiety with high resonance stability and electro reactivity of 5-Hydroxytryptophan determines melatonin’s potent free radical scavenging capacity [6,7]. Natural and synthetic indoles proved to be able to protect various tissues against oxidative stress, predominantly by scavenging deleterious reactive oxygen species [8–16]. Several researchers have reported the antioxidant activity of substituted indoles [17–20]. An overview of this antioxidant activity of 5-hydroxy tryptophan; in the present study we have designed and synthesized various biopotent urea and thiourea derivatives of 5-hydroxy tryptophan and screened for their antioxidant activities using in vitro and in silico approaches.
A novel anti-platelet aggregation target of chinensinaphthol methyl ether and neojusticin B obtained from Rostellularia procumbens (L.) Nees
Published in Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry, 2019
Songtao Wu, Yanfang Yang, Bo Liu, Zhoutao Xie, Weichen Xiong, Pengfei Hao, Wenping Xiao, Yuan Sun, Zhongzhu Ai, Hezhen Wu
About 80% ethanol extract, ethyl acetate extract, n-butanol extract, water extract, neojusticin B, chinensinaphthol methyl ether, justicidin E, justicidin B, and cilinaphthalide B were obtained from the Key Laboratory for Traditional Chinese Medicine Resources and Chemistry of Hubei Province27–29. Deionized water was made available in-lab using a Milli-Q purification instrument (Millipore, Bedford, MA, USA). 5-hydroxytryptophan was obtained from the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (China). Thrombin was purchased from BioMed Lublin, Poland. AA, bovine serum albumin (BSA), adrenaline, adenosine diphosphate (ADP), PAF, and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) were purchased from Sigma (St. Louis, MO, USA). Analytical grade (purity ≥ 99.9) petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, acetone, chloroform, ethanol, and methanol were supplied by Sinopharm Chemical Reagent Co., Ltd (Shanghai, China). RNeasy Mini Kit (QIAGEN, German), RNase-free DNase I (QIAGEN, Düsseldorf, Germany). Pico Reagent Kit (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA, USA), GeneChip90 Hybridization, Wash, and Stain Kit (Affymetrix).