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Recent Patents on CNS Drug Discovery (Discontinued)

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 1574-8898
ISSN (Online): 2212-3954

L-Arginine Signalling Potential in the Brain: The Peripheral Gets Central

Author(s): Claudiana Lameu, Antonio C.M. de Camargo and Marcella Faria

Volume 4, Issue 2, 2009

Page: [137 - 142] Pages: 6

DOI: 10.2174/157488909788453004

Price: $65

Abstract

L-Arginine is a basic amino acid that has versatile metabolic roles, being involved in the generation of a wide range of biologically active intermediates such as nitric oxide (NO), polyamines, creatine and L-amino acids [1]. Because the levels of L-arginine reflect a metabolic crossroads, the mechanisms of its synthesis and degradation in peripheral tissues are very well described. However, there is an increasing amount of data also implicating this amino acid as a mediator of central nervous system activities and those are not yet fully understood. Here we shall summarize the tissuespecific pathways controlling L-arginine intracellular and blood levels and also the emerging evidence pointing to a role of this metabolite in the central regulation of diverse physiological processes, as blood pressure control and inflammatory response. As a conclusion we shall discuss the advantages of targeting L-arginine metabolism over other NO donors, as a general strategy to correct NO deficiency related diseases and discuss a few new patents recently deposited which take into account the rational perspective outlined in the present review.

Keywords: L-Arginine, NO, vasodilation, polyamines, ASS, ASL, arginase, urea cycle, ADMA, proline-rich peptides, Lcitrulline, CNS, ROS


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