Indicadores
One of nine essential amino acids in humans (provided by food), Methionine is required for growth and tissue repair. A sulphur-containing amino acid, methionine improves the tone and pliability of skin, hair, and strengthens nails. Involved in many detoxifying processes, sulphur provided by methionine protects cells from pollutants, slows cell aging, and is essential for absorption and bio-availability of selenium and zinc. Methionine chelates heavy metals, such as lead and mercury, aiding their excretion. It also acts as a lipotropic agent and prevents excess fat buildup in the liver. (NCI04)
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An antimetabolite and antifolate agent with antineoplastic and immunosuppressant activities. Methotrexate binds to and inhibits the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase, resulting in inhibition of purine nucleotide and thymidylate synthesis and, subsequently, inhibition of DNA and RNA syntheses. Methotrexate also exhibits potent immunosuppressant activity although the mechanism(s) of actions is unclear.
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A water-soluble vitamin belonging to the vitamin B family, which occurs in many animal and plant tissues, with antihyperlipidemic activity. Niacin is converted to its active form niacinamide, which is a component of the coenzymes nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and its phosphate form, NADP. These coenzymes play an important role in tissue respiration and in glycogen, lipid, amino acid, protein, and purine metabolism. Although the exact mechanism of action by which niacin lowers cholesterol is not fully understood, it may act by inhibiting the synthesis of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), inhibiting the release of free fatty acids from adipose tissue, increasing lipoprotein lipase activity, and reducing the hepatic synthesis of VLDL-C and LDL-C.
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A naturally occurring amino acid found in meat, fish, dairy and eggs. Ornithine is one of the key reactants in the urea cycle that is responsible for 80% of the nitrogen excretion in the body. Ornithine enhances liver function and helps detoxify harmful substances.
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An essential aromatic amino acid in humans (provided by food), Phenylalanine plays a key role in the biosynthesis of other amino acids and is important in the structure and function of many proteins and enzymes. Phenylalanine is converted to tyrosine, used in the biosynthesis of dopamine and norepinephrine neurotransmitters. The L-form of Phenylalanine is incorporated into proteins, while the D-form acts as a painkiller. Absorption of ultraviolet radiation by Phenylalanine is used to quantify protein amounts. (NCI04)
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A cyclic, nonessential amino acid (actually, an imino acid) in humans (synthesized from glutamic acid and other amino acids), Proline is a constituent of many proteins. Found in high concentrations in collagen, proline constitutes almost a third of the residues. Collagen is the main supportive protein of skin, tendons, bones, and connective tissue and promotes their health and healing. (NCI04)
Indicadores
A non-essential amino acid in humans (synthesized by the body), Serine is present and functionally important in many proteins. With an alcohol group, serine is needed for the metabolism of fats, fatty acids, and cell membranes; muscle growth; and a healthy immune system. It also plays a major role in pyrimidine, purine, creatine, and porphyrin biosynthetic pathways. Serine is also found at the active site of the serine protease enzyme class that includes trypsin and chymotrypsin. (NCI04)
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Somatotropin (217 aa, ~25 kDa) is encoded by the human GH1 gene. This protein is involved in the regulation of many physiologic processes, including the growth of organs and tissues and the metabolism of amino acids and proteins.
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A heat-labile and water-soluble essential vitamin, belonging to the vitamin B family, with antioxidant, erythropoietic, mood modulating, and glucose-regulating activities. Thiamine reacts with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to form an active coenzyme, thiamine pyrophosphate. Thiamine pyrophosphate is necessary for the actions of pyruvate dehydrogenase and alpha-ketoglutarate in carbohydrate metabolism and for the actions of transketolase, an enzyme that plays an important role in the pentose phosphate pathway. Thiamine plays a key role in intracellular glucose metabolism and may inhibit the action of glucose and insulin on arterial smooth muscle cell proliferation. Thiamine may also protect against lead toxicity by inhibiting lead-induced lipid peroxidation.
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An essential amino acid in humans (provided by food), Threonine is an important residue of many proteins, such as tooth enamel, collagen, and elastin. An important amino acid for the nervous system, threonine also plays an important role in porphyrin and fat metabolism and prevents fat buildup in the liver. Useful with intestinal disorders and indigestion, threonine has also been used to alleviate anxiety and mild depression. (NCI04)
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An aminoglycoside antibiotic derived from Streptomyces tenebrarius with bacteriostatic activity. Following active transport into the cell, tobramycin binds irreversibly to a specific aminoglycoside receptor on the bacterial 30S ribosomal subunit and interferes with the initiation complex between messenger RNA and the 30S subunit, thereby inhibiting initiation of protein synthesis, consequently leading to bacterial cell death. In addition, tobramycin induces misreading of the mRNA template causing incorrect amino acids to be incorporated into the growing polypeptide chain, consequently interfering with protein elongation.
Indicadores
The least plentiful of all 22 amino acids and an essential amino acid in humans (provided by food), Tryptophan is found in most proteins and a precursor of serotonin. Tryptophan is converted to 5-hydroxy-tryptophan (5-HTP), converted in turn to serotonin, a neurotransmitter essential in regulating appetite, sleep, mood, and pain. Tryptophan is a natural sedative and present in dairy products, meats, brown rice, fish, and soybeans. (NCI04)
