Fatty Liver Disease
David Heber, Zhaoping Li in Primary Care Nutrition, 2017
Betaine (trimethylglycine) is a key nutrient for humans that is similar in function to choline and can be obtained from a variety of foods and nutritional supplements (Purohit et al. 2007). In the liver, betaine can transfer one methyl group to homocysteine to form methionine. This process removes toxic metabolites (homocysteine and S-adenosylhomocysteine), restores SAM levels, reverses steatosis, prevents apoptosis, and reduces both damaged protein accumulation and oxidative stress (Kharbanda et al. 2007; Kharbanda 2009). Betaine also appears to attenuate alcoholic steatosis by restoring phosphatidylcholine generation via the phosphatidylethanolamine methyltransferase pathway (Kharbanda et al. 2007). Studies suggest that betaine offers hepatic protection against ethanol-induced oxidative stress by decreasing sulfur-containing amino acid breakdown as well (Kim et al. 2008). Betaine supplementation is promising, but there are further clinical studies needed.
Avian coccidiosis: a disturbed host-parasite relationship to be restored
G. F. Wiegertjes, G. Flik in Host-Parasite Interactions, 2004
The effect of dietary betaine is rather controversial. Betaine was applied as replacement for methionine in the feed and was described to enhance the anti-coccidial effect of ionophoric drugs, but no consistent proof was found for any of these claims (Matthews and Southern, 2000). This may be due to the small differences to be expected and the limited size of the experimental design. Larger-scale trials demonstrated a 5% beneficial effect on weight gain but not lesion scores or oocyst numbers (Waldenstedt et al., 1999). Other investigators found an effect of betaine as osmotic protectant in the small intestine (Kettunen et al., 2001), which might explain a beneficial effect on the outcome of the disease with respect to weight gain depression. Betaine also decreased osmolarity of the duodenum, especially in infected birds. Coccidial infection increased the thickness of and number of leucocytes in the duodenal lamina propria especially at high betaine levels and increased the activity of monocytes and production of nitric oxide (Klasing et al., 2002).
Role of Nutraceuticals in Prevention of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver
Megh R. Goyal, Durgesh Nandini Chauhan in Plant- and Marine-Based Phytochemicals for Human Health, 2018
Betaine, which is N, N, N-trimethylglycine, is a methyl donor. It is present in sugar beet, broccoli, grains, shellfish, and spinach. The methyl donation is very important for proper liver function and reproduction of cells. Betaine is also important for the synthesis of carnitine in the body. Feeding high-fat diet that may lead to NAFLD and disturb S-containing substances metabolism significantly pointed to the possible inhibition of hepatic transsulfuration in NAFLD. Supplementation of betaine proved successful in protection from nonalcoholic steatosis in addi- tion to reducing oxidative stress through an effect on transsulfuration reactions.46
Betaine attenuates sodium arsenite-induced renal dysfunction in rats
Published in Drug and Chemical Toxicology, 2022
Sumedha Sharma, Tajpreet Kaur, Ashwani Kumar Sharma, Balbir Singh, Devendra Pathak, Harlokesh Narayan Yadav, Amrit Pal Singh
Nature offers an endless variety of bioactive substances. Betaine is found in plenty of natural sources such as sugar beet and spinach (Sakamoto and Murata 2002). Betaine has demonstrated protection against cardiovascular disorders like endothelial dysfunction and neurological disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Betaine has been noted to ameliorate nephrotoxicity and burn injury in various experimental studies credits to its biological action as an antioxidant (Şehirli et al.2016). It is well reported that kidney plays an important role in maintaining serum levels of betaine. The betaine transport carrier protein is mainly expressed in the kidney and in the case of renal disease, the serum concentration of betaine decreases due to its’ enhanced excretion (Zhou et al.2012). Hyperosmolarity provides a hostile environment to the renal cells thereby causing their death. Betaine inhibits the activation of caspases in hypertonicity-induced apoptosis and preventing renal damage (Cano et al.2015). Betaine has proven its beneficial role against high fructose-induced chronic kidney disease by reducing the levels of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukins (IL)-1β, IL-18 and tumor necrosis factor-α (Fan et al.2014).
Liver metabolomic characterization of Sophora flavescens alcohol extract-induced hepatotoxicity in rats through UPLC/LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometry
Published in Xenobiotica, 2020
Peng Jiang, Yancai Sun, Nengneng Cheng
The liver metabolomic results of the rats after they were orally exposed to SFAE showed a disturbance of fatty acid metabolism. Increased acetylcarnitine, l-carnitine, stearoylcarnitine and palmitoylcarnitine levels and decreased 3-hydroxybutyric acid levels indicated the inhibition of ketone body generation, which is the primary cause of steatosis. Betaine also plays a role in the manufacture of carnitine and protects kidneys from damage. Betaine insufficiency is associated with lipid disorders, metabolic syndrome and diabetes (Pekkinen et al., 2013). Betaine is also widely regarded as an anti-oxidant and used to treat liver disorders. Palmitoylcarnitine significantly increases from normal levels in steatosis samples. Alterations in carnitine levels are a result of abnormal lipid metabolism and high lipid loads (Schooneman et al., 2013).
Betaine ameliorates impaired steroidogenesis and apoptosis in mice granulosa cells induced by high glucose concentration
Published in Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine, 2020
Kosar Abbasi Samie, Mohammad Reza Tabandeh, Mahsa Afrough
GCs were seeded onto a six well plate at a density of 106 cells/ml. The cells were pre-incubated for 24 h before the experiment. The medium was then replaced with fresh growth medium containing the appropriate reagents according to each experimental design. The basal medium used for various assays was DMEM/F-12-LG (low glucose; 5 mM) supplemented with 2% FBS, 1% antibiotics and 2 mM glutamine. To examine the effects of betaine on apoptosis and cell viability of GCs under high glucose condition, the cells were treated with betaine (5 mM) (Sigma, USA) for 24 h in the presence of low (basal medium; 5 mM) and high (30 mM) glucose concentrations. To determine the effects of betaine on steroidogenesis of GCs under high glucose condition, the cells were treated with betaine (5 mM) (Sigma, USA) for 12 h in the presence of basal medium (5 mM glucose) and high glucose condition (30 mM glucose) supplemented with 0.5 µM testosterone as substrate for estradiol synthesis. Subsequently, the steroidogenesis was induced by treatment of cells for 12 h with similar concentrations of betaine, glucose and testosterone, and FSH (30 ng/ml) (Ortega et al. 2012). Schematic diagram of steroidogenesis protocol is shown in Figure 5. The dosage for betaine treatment was taken from previous cell culture studies in mice (Villa et al. 2017; Xiao et al. 2017).
Related Knowledge Centers
- Carboxylate
- Chemical Compound
- Chemistry
- Functional Group
- Methylation
- Trimethylglycine
- Ion
- Quaternary Ammonium Cation
- Phosphonium
- Onium Ion