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Rafi H, Rafiq H, Farhan M. Pharmacological profile of agmatine: An in-depth overview. Neuropeptides 2024; 105:102429. [PMID: 38608401 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2024.102429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Agmatine, a naturally occurring polyamine derived from arginine via arginine decarboxylase, has been shown to play multifaceted roles in the mammalian body, impacting a wide range of physiological and pathological processes. This comprehensive review delineates the significant insights into agmatine's pharmacological profile, emphasizing its structure and metabolism, neurotransmission and regulation, and pharmacokinetics and function. Agmatine's biosynthesis is highly conserved across species, highlighting its fundamental role in cellular functions. In the brain, comparable to established neurotransmitters, agmatine acts as a neuromodulator, influencing the regulation, metabolism, and reabsorption of neurotransmitters that are key to mood disorders, learning, cognition, and the management of anxiety and depression. Beyond its neuromodulatory functions, agmatine exhibits protective effects across various cellular and systemic contexts, including neuroprotection, nephroprotection, cardioprotection, and cytoprotection, suggesting a broad therapeutic potential. The review explores agmatine's interaction with multiple receptor systems, including NMDA, α2-adrenoceptors, and imidazoline receptors, elucidating its role in enhancing cell viability, neuronal protection, and synaptic plasticity. Such interactions underpin agmatine's potential in treating neurological diseases and mood disorders, among other conditions. Furthermore, agmatine's pharmacokinetics, including its absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, are discussed, underlining the complexity of its action and the potential for therapeutic application. The safety and efficacy of agmatine supplementation, demonstrated through various animal and human studies, affirm its potential as a beneficial therapeutic agent. Conclusively, the diverse physiological and therapeutic effects of agmatine, spanning neurotransmission, protection against cellular damage, and modulation of various receptor pathways, position it as a promising candidate for further research and clinical application. This review underscores the imperative for continued exploration into agmatine's mechanisms of action and its potential in pharmacology and medicine, promising advances in the treatment of numerous conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hira Rafi
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Pakistan.
| | - Hamna Rafiq
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Pakistan
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Agmatine Administration Effects on Equine Gastric Ulceration and Lameness. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11247283. [PMID: 36555900 PMCID: PMC9780949 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11247283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) accounts for up to 60% of equine lameness. Agmatine, a decarboxylated arginine, may be a viable option for OA management, based on reports of its analgesic properties. Six adult thoroughbred horses, with lameness attributable to thoracic limb OA, received either daily oral phenylbutazone (6.6 mg/kg), agmatine sulfate (25 mg/kg) or a control for 30 days, with 21-day washout periods between treatments. Subjective lameness, thoracic limb ground reaction forces (GRF), plasma agmatine and agmatine metabolite levels were evaluated using an established rubric, a force platform, and mass spectrometry, respectively, before, during and after each treatment period. Gastric ulceration and plasma chemistries were evaluated before and after treatments. Braking GRFs were greater after 14 and 29 days of agmatine compared to phenylbutazone administration. After 14 days of phenylbutazone administration, vertical GRFs were greater than for agmatine or the control. Glandular mucosal ulcer scores were lower after agmatine than phenylbutazone administration. Agmatine plasma levels peaked between 30 and 60 min and were largely undetectable by 24 h after oral administration. In contrast, plasma citric acid levels increased throughout agmatine administration, representing a shift in the metabolomic profile. Agmatine may be a viable option to improve thoracic limb GRFs while reducing the risk of glandular gastric ulceration in horses with OA.
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Barua S, Sim AY, Kim JY, Shin I, Lee JE. Maintenance of the Neuroprotective Function of the Amino Group Blocked Fluorescence-Agmatine. Neurochem Res 2021; 46:1933-1940. [PMID: 33914233 PMCID: PMC8254702 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-021-03319-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Agmatine, an endogenous derivative of arginine, has been found to be effective in treating idiopathic pain, convulsion, stress-mediated behavior, and attenuate the withdrawal symptoms of drugs like morphine. In the early stages of ischemic brain injury in animals, exogenous agmatine treatment was found to be neuroprotective. Agmatine is also considered as a putative neurotransmitter and is still an experimental drug. Chemically, agmatine is called agmatine 1-(4-aminobutyl guanidine). Crystallographic study data show that positively-charged guanidine can bind to the protein containing Gly and Asp residues, and the amino group can interact with the complimentary sites of Glu and Ser. In this study, we blocked the amino end of the agmatine by conjugating it with FITC, but the guanidine end was unchanged. We compared the neuroprotective function of the agmatine and agmatine-FITC by treating them in neurons after excitotoxic stimulation. We found that even the amino end blocked neuronal viability in the excitotoxic condition, by NMDA treatment for 1 h, was increased by agmatine-FITC, which was similar to that of agmatine. We also found that the agmatine-FITC treatment reduced the expression of nitric oxide production in NMDA-treated cells. This study suggests that even if the amino end of agmatine is blocked, it can perform its neuroprotective function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Barua
- Department of Anatomy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722 Korea
| | - A Young Sim
- Department of Anatomy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722 Korea
- BK21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722 Korea
| | - Jong Youl Kim
- Department of Anatomy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722 Korea
| | - Injae Shin
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722 Korea
| | - Jong Eun Lee
- Department of Anatomy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722 Korea
- BK21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722 Korea
- Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722 Korea
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Agmatine Attenuates Liver Ischemia Reperfusion Injury by Activating Wnt/β-catenin Signaling in Mice. Transplantation 2020; 104:1906-1916. [PMID: 32032294 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000003161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver ischemia reperfusion injury (LIRI) is a common problem during surgical procedures of the liver. It causes severe inflammatory responses and cell death, eventually leading to serious liver damage. Agmatine (AGM) is an endogenous polyamine with analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects. However, it is still unknown whether AGM can protect the liver from damage caused by LIRI. METHODS For the in vivo experiments, a mouse model of partial warm hepatic ischemia reperfusion was established using C57BL/6J mice and then serum transaminase concentrations were analyzed. Histopathology was used to evaluate the degree of liver injury and quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure the amount of inflammatory cytokines. For the in vitro experiments, a cellular model of cobalt chloride (CoCl2)-induced hypoxia was established using AML12 cells. Flow cytometry was performed to measure the apoptosis levels. Western blotting analysis was conducted to measure the levels of proteins involved in apoptosis and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. We also chose 2 inhibitors of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling to elucidate the relationship between AGM and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling. RESULTS AGM showed protective effects against LIRI-induced liver damage, inflammatory responses, and cell apoptosis along with alleviation of CoCl2-induced hepatocyte injury. AGM activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway during LIRI and CoCl2-induced hepatocyte injury; however, when the Wnt/β-catenin pathway was inhibited, the protective effects of AGM declined. CONCLUSIONS AGM showed protective effects against LIRI by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
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Martinis P, Grancara S, Kanamori Y, García-Argáez AN, Pacella E, Dalla Via L, Toninello A, Agostinelli E. Involvement of the biogenic active amine agmatine in mitochondrial membrane permeabilization and release of pro-apoptotic factors. Amino Acids 2019; 52:161-169. [DOI: 10.1007/s00726-019-02791-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Turan I, Ozacmak HS, Ozacmak VH, Barut F, Araslı M. Agmatine attenuates intestinal ischemia and reperfusion injury by reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction in rats. Life Sci 2017; 189:23-28. [PMID: 28893640 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2017.08.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Inci Turan
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey.
| | - Hale Sayan Ozacmak
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey
| | - V Haktan Ozacmak
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey
| | - Figen Barut
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Araslı
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey
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Yarmohmmadi F, Rahimi N, Faghir-Ghanesefat H, Javadian N, Abdollahi A, Pasalar P, Jazayeri F, Ejtemaeemehr S, Dehpour AR. Protective effects of agmatine on doxorubicin-induced chronic cardiotoxicity in rat. Eur J Pharmacol 2017; 796:39-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2016.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2016] [Revised: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Pena-Mercado E, Garcia-Lorenzana M, Arechaga E, la Rosa CHGD, Beltran NE. Gastric mucosa injury quantification in an ischemia - Reperfusion experimental model. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2016; 2016:2303-2306. [PMID: 28324964 DOI: 10.1109/embc.2016.7591190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Gastric ischemia - reperfusion (I/R) injury is an important clinical problem, which is developed in more than 80% of critically ill patients. I/R is caused by interruption of blood supply to an organ or tissue followed by blood reflow into the exposed area, leading to multiple organ failure and death. Gastric reactance has been proposed to measure tissue injury caused by ischemia. The present study evaluates a new method to quantify gastric tissue damage due to I/R, and assess its relation to gastric reactance changes. Twenty Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups: control, ischemia, I/R 30 min, I/R 1 h. Local gastric ischemia was induced by clamping the celiac artery for 30 min and reperfusion was done for 30-60 min. In all groups, gastric impedance was measured, and then gastric mucosa samples were taken for light microscopy. There were statistical significant differences (p <;0.05) among the groups with respect to the index of gastric injury proposed, which was greater in I/R 1 h group. Also, impedance parameters increased in I/R groups with respect to control, and ischemia groups. The proposed index of gastric injury allowed gastric mucosa damage quantification, and it was related with gastric impedance increase, which is an objective method to evaluate tissue injury.
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Zádori ZS, Tóth VE, Fehér Á, Philipp K, Németh J, Gyires K. Evidence for the gastric cytoprotective effect of centrally injected agmatine. Brain Res Bull 2014; 108:51-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2014.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2014] [Revised: 07/19/2014] [Accepted: 07/31/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Gilad GM, Gilad VH. Evidence for oral agmatine sulfate safety – A 95-day high dosage pilot study with rats. Food Chem Toxicol 2013; 62:758-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2013.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2013] [Revised: 09/26/2013] [Accepted: 10/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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Piletz JE, Aricioglu F, Cheng JT, Fairbanks CA, Gilad VH, Haenisch B, Halaris A, Hong S, Lee JE, Li J, Liu P, Molderings GJ, Rodrigues ALS, Satriano J, Seong GJ, Wilcox G, Wu N, Gilad GM. Agmatine: clinical applications after 100 years in translation. Drug Discov Today 2013; 18:880-93. [PMID: 23769988 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2013.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2013] [Revised: 04/27/2013] [Accepted: 05/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Agmatine (decarboxylated arginine) has been known as a natural product for over 100 years, but its biosynthesis in humans was left unexplored owing to long-standing controversy. Only recently has the demonstration of agmatine biosynthesis in mammals revived research, indicating its exceptional modulatory action at multiple molecular targets, including neurotransmitter systems, nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and polyamine metabolism, thus providing bases for broad therapeutic applications. This timely review, a concerted effort by 16 independent research groups, draws attention to the substantial preclinical and initial clinical evidence, and highlights challenges and opportunities, for the use of agmatine in treating a spectrum of complex diseases with unmet therapeutic needs, including diabetes mellitus, neurotrauma and neurodegenerative diseases, opioid addiction, mood disorders, cognitive disorders and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- John E Piletz
- Department of Biology, Mississippi College, Clinton, MS 39058, USA
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