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Immunology, Endocrine & Metabolic Agents in Medicinal Chemistry (Discontinued)

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 1871-5222
ISSN (Online): 1875-6115

Effects of Oral L-Citrulline Supplementation on Lipoprotein Oxidation and Endothelial Dysfunction in Humans with Vasospastic Angina

Author(s): Masahiko Morita, Masami Sakurada, Fumiko Watanabe, Tetsuo Yamasaki, Hiroshi Doi, Hirotaka Ezaki, Koji Morishita and Takayuki Miyake

Volume 13, Issue 3, 2013

Page: [214 - 220] Pages: 7

DOI: 10.2174/18715222113139990008

Abstract

Background: Decreased nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and increased lipid oxidation are associated with progressive endothelial dysfunction. L-Citrulline, the effective precursor of L-arginine which is essential as a substrate for endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), is effective in enhancing NO-dependent signaling. However, little is known about the efficacy of L-citrulline supplementation on lipoprotein oxidation and endothelial dysfunction.

Methods: Twenty-two patients (aged 41 - 64 years old) diagnosed with vasospastic angina with flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery (< 5.5 %) received 800 mg/day of L-citrulline for 8 weeks. FMD (%), blood NOx, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), small dense LDL, oxidized lipids, amino acids concentrations were measured before and after supplementation.

Results: Compared with baseline values, FMD (%) was significantly improved at 4 and 8 weeks as well as at 4 weeks after the end of intake. L-Citrulline supplementation caused a significant lowering of plasma ADMA levels. Plasma Larginine/ ADMA ratio and NOx levels rose markedly throughout the study period. Moreover, significant reductions of serum oxidized LDL and lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor 1 (LOX-1) ligand containing ApoB (LAB), an indicator of the biological activity of oxidized lipoprotein binding to LOX-1, were observed after L-citrulline intake.

Conclusions: L-Citrulline supplementation improves endothelial dysfunction, probably due to potentiating NO-dependent reactions and decreasing the state of lipoprotein oxidation in humans.

Keywords: Asymmetric dimethylarginine, endothelial dysfunction, flow-mediated dilation, L-Citrulline, nitric oxide, oxidized LDL.


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