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Experimental and Molecular Pathology Apr 2015Betaine supplements of alcoholic beverages are proposed to prevent the development of alcoholic liver disease in patients that abuse alcohol. This recommendation is... (Review)
Review
Betaine supplements of alcoholic beverages are proposed to prevent the development of alcoholic liver disease in patients that abuse alcohol. This recommendation is based on the observation of studies where it has been shown in binge drinking and chronic ethanol feeding animal models that betaine prevents liver injury resulting from high blood alcohol levels. The basic observation is that betaine added to ethanol being ingested increases the elimination rate of blood alcohol, which prevents the blood alcohol levels (BALs) from reaching high levels. The mechanism of how betaine does this is postulated to be that betaine causes the increase in the elimination rate by increasing the metabolic rate which generates NAD the rate limiting cofactor of alcohol oxidation by ADH. Betaine does this most likely by supporting the methylation of norepinephrine to form epinephrine by phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase. Epinephrine is 5 to 10-fold more active than norepinephrine in increasing the metabolic rate.
Topics: Alcoholism; Animals; Betaine; Energy Metabolism; Epinephrine; Ethanol; Humans; Liver; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic; Methylation; Models, Animal; Norepinephrine; Oxidation-Reduction; Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase; Rats
PubMed: 25758202
DOI: 10.1016/j.yexmp.2015.03.007 -
Journal of Neurophysiology Feb 2022Brain ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury may lead to a poor prognosis for ischemic stroke, which could be alleviated by antioxidants with diminished oxidative stress....
Brain ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury may lead to a poor prognosis for ischemic stroke, which could be alleviated by antioxidants with diminished oxidative stress. Betaine is a natural nutrient found in beetroot and seafood to improve cognitive performance in the elderly. The present study investigated whether betaine could protect the brain from I/R injury. Results showed that betaine treatment could reduce HO-induced cell death in the PC12 cell line. Pretreatment with betaine reduced the brain infarct volume and neuronal apoptosis in a rat I/R injury model induced by 2-h middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Biochemical analyses indicated that betaine treatment decreased proinflammatory cytokine production and reduced oxidative stress after I/R injury. Betaine increased the expression of antioxidative enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase 4 (Gpx4) and superoxide dismutase 1 (Sod1), and antioxidative nonenzymatic genes, such as 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (), methionine sulfoxide reductases b1 (), and . These data suggest that betaine exerts a neuroprotective effect in I/R injury through enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidative systems and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. These data suggested that betaine exerted a neuroprotective effect in I/R injury through enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidative systems.
Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Betaine; Disease Models, Animal; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery; Inflammation; Male; Neuroprotective Agents; Oxidative Stress; Rats; Reperfusion Injury
PubMed: 35020521
DOI: 10.1152/jn.00400.2021 -
Journal of Thermal Biology May 2022The effects of heat stress and dietary betaine and zinc on growth, weight of organs and plasma biochemistry in growing Iberian pigs are of special importance. Forty...
The effects of heat stress and dietary betaine and zinc on growth, weight of organs and plasma biochemistry in growing Iberian pigs are of special importance. Forty Iberian barrows (43.8 kg BW) were assigned to five treatments for 28-d: 1.-thermoneutral (20 °C)-ad libitum fed a control diet (TN-CON); 2.-heat stress (30 °C)-ad libitum fed a control diet (HS-CON); 3.-thermoneutral-pair-fed a control diet (TN-CON-PF) on the basis of intake of HS-CON; 4.-heat stress-ad libitum fed a betaine-supplemented diet (HS-BET); 5.-heat stress-ad libitum fed a zinc-supplemented diet (HS-ZN). Heat stress increased rectal temperature and decreased feed intake. As a result, weight gain under TN-CON was greater than under heat stress or TN-CON-PF. Temperature did not affect gain to feed ratio. Heat stress decreased empty BW, kidneys and spleen weights, and tended to decrease total viscera weight compared to thermoneutral counterparts fed ad libitum, but when organ weight was related to empty BW, only spleen tended to decrease. At identical intake, heat stress tended to decrease heart weight. Betaine and zinc had no effect on organs weight under heat stress. Heat stress decreased albumin and the homeostasis model assessment index for estimating β-cell function (HOMA-%B), increased glucose, and tended to increase urea compared with the TN pair-fed group. Betaine and zinc decreased plasma glucose under heat stress and increased HOMA-%B suggesting improved β-cell function. Insulin, quantitative insulin sensitivity check index, homeostasis model assessment index for estimating insulin resistance percentage and the rest of biochemical parameters were not affected by treatments. Decreased intake explained the consistent negative effects on performance of pigs after long-term heat stress. Furthermore, it elicited a glucose sparing effect without affecting insulin concentration and increased protein catabolism. Betaine or zinc supplementation did not prevent the negative effect of heat stress on growth performance of Iberian pigs.
Topics: Animals; Betaine; Diet; Glucose; Heat Stress Disorders; Heat-Shock Response; Hot Temperature; Insulin; Swine; Thermotolerance; Zinc
PubMed: 35636882
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2022.103230 -
Scientific Reports May 2023Although exogenous glycine betaine (GB) and cycloleucine (Cyc) have been reported to affect animal cell metabolism, their effects on plant growth and development have...
Although exogenous glycine betaine (GB) and cycloleucine (Cyc) have been reported to affect animal cell metabolism, their effects on plant growth and development have not been studied extensively. Different concentrations of exogenous glycine betaine (20, 40, and 60 mmol L) and cycloleucine (10, 20, and 40 mmol L), with 0 mmol L as control, were used to investigate the effects of foliar spraying of betaine and cycloleucine on growth, photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, Calvin cycle pathway, abaxial leaf burr morphology, endogenous hormones, and amino acid content in eggplant. We found that 40 mmol L glycine betaine had the best effect on plant growth and development; it increased the fresh and dry weight of plants, increased the density of abaxial leaf hairs, increased the net photosynthetic rate and Calvin cycle key enzyme activity of leaves, had an elevating effect on chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, increased endogenous indoleacetic acid (IAA) content and decreased abscisic acid (ABA) content, and increased glutamate, serine, aspartate, and phenylalanine contents. However, cycloleucine significantly inhibited plant growth; plant apical dominance disappeared, plant height and dry and fresh weights decreased significantly, the development of abaxial leaf hairs was hindered, the net photosynthetic rate and Calvin cycle key enzyme activities were inhibited, the endogenous hormones IAA and ABA content decreased, and the conversion and utilization of glutamate, arginine, threonine, and glycine were affected. Combined with the experimental results and plant growth phenotypes, 20 mmol L cycloleucine significantly inhibited plant growth. In conclusion, 40 mmol L glycine betaine and 20 mmol L cycloleucine had different regulatory effects on plant growth and development.
Topics: Betaine; Solanum melongena; Cycloleucine; Amino Acids; Photosynthesis; Abscisic Acid; Chlorophyll; Hormones; Plant Leaves
PubMed: 37165051
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34509-w -
Kidney International Jun 1996Cells of the hypertonic renal medulla accumulate high concentrations of the non-perturbing osmolytes myo-inositol, betaine, and taurine, and are thereby protected from... (Review)
Review
Cells of the hypertonic renal medulla accumulate high concentrations of the non-perturbing osmolytes myo-inositol, betaine, and taurine, and are thereby protected from the perturbing effects of hypertonicity. Kidney-derived MDCK cells accumulate high levels of these three non-perturbing osmolytes when cultured in hypertonic medium and have been used to study their accumulation. The increase in the intracellular concentration of these non-perturbing osmolytes is the result of an increase in the abundance of the mRNA for the specific cotransporter for each osmolyte and the ensuing increase in the activity of the three specific sodium coupled transporters. The increased abundance of mRNA for the myo-inositol and the betaine cotransporters is driven by an increase in the rate of transcription of their genes. We have identified a 13 basepair cis-acting element in the 5' flanking region of the gene for the betaine cotransporter. The element is an enhancer that mediates the transcriptional response to hypertonicity. The protein(s) that binds to the tonicity responsive element is much more active in hypertonic than in isotonic cells, and is in all likelihood the mediator of the transcriptional response to changes in tonicity.
Topics: Animals; Betaine; Carrier Proteins; GABA Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; Hypertonic Solutions; Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate; Kidney Medulla
PubMed: 8743476
DOI: 10.1038/ki.1996.246 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Mar 2023Deep eutectic systems (DES) have shown increasing popularity in last decade; however, the number of studies on the potential toxicity towards living organisms remains...
Deep eutectic systems (DES) have shown increasing popularity in last decade; however, the number of studies on the potential toxicity towards living organisms remains scarce. These studies are of the utmost importance to infer on the claimed non-toxicity and biocompatibility of DES. Most articles published, at this moment, only evaluate the toxicity towards a cell model or in different strains of bacteria. For this purpose, in this work, the effect of two DES (betaine:sorbitol:water 1:1:3 and betaine:glycerol 1:2) and their individual components were evaluated at different concentrations after administered via intraperitoneal injection in zebrafish (Danio rerio). The total antioxidant capacity, lipoperoxidation, and the activity of various enzymes that work in different antioxidant pathways (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione S-transferase) were assessed. The results show no significant toxicity within the tested concentrations: up to 5000 µM and 3000 µM, for the assays using the system betaine:sorbitol:water 1:1:3 and for betaine:glycerol 1:2, respectively. The toxicity of individual components was studied up to 1000 µM. Based on the encouraging results that have been obtained, it is safe to conclude that these two deep eutectic systems can be used as the new class of environmentally friendly solvents.
Topics: Animals; Betaine; Glycerol; Antioxidants; Zebrafish; Solvents; Water
PubMed: 36607574
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-25000-6 -
International Journal of Molecular... Feb 2023The therapeutic efficacy of topically administered drugs, however powerful, is largely affected by their bioavailability and, thus, ultimately, on their aqueous...
The therapeutic efficacy of topically administered drugs, however powerful, is largely affected by their bioavailability and, thus, ultimately, on their aqueous solubility and stability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of ionic liquids (ILs) as functional excipients to solubilise, stabilise, and prolong the ocular residence time of diacerein (DIA) in eye drop formulations. DIA is a poorly soluble and unstable anthraquinone prodrug, rapidly hydrolysed to rhein (Rhe), for the treatment of osteoarthritis. DIA has recently been evaluated as an antimicrobial agent for bacterial keratitis. Two ILs based on natural zwitterionic compounds were investigated: L-carnitine C6 alkyl ester bromide (Carn6), and betaine C6 alkyl ester bromide (Bet6). The stabilising, solubilising, and mucoadhesive properties of ILs were investigated, as well as their cytotoxicity to the murine fibroblast BALB/3T3 clone A31 cell line. Two IL-DIA-based eye drop formulations were prepared, and their efficacy against both and was determined. Finally, the eye drops were administered in vivo on New Zealand albino rabbits, testing their tolerability as well as their elimination and degradation kinetics. Both Bet6 and Carn6 have good potential as functional excipients, showing solubilising, stabilising, mucoadhesive, and antimicrobial properties; their in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo ocular tolerability pave the way for their future use in ophthalmic applications.
Topics: Mice; Animals; Excipients; Betaine; Ionic Liquids; Carnitine; Ophthalmic Solutions; Bromides; Anti-Infective Agents; Anthraquinones; Esters
PubMed: 36769037
DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032714 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2023Betaine is a non-essential amino acid with proven functional properties and underutilized potential. The most common dietary sources of betaine are beets, spinach, and... (Review)
Review
Betaine is a non-essential amino acid with proven functional properties and underutilized potential. The most common dietary sources of betaine are beets, spinach, and whole grains. Whole grains-such as quinoa, wheat and oat brans, brown rice, barley, etc.-are generally considered rich sources of betaine. This valuable compound has gained popularity as an ingredient in novel and functional foods due to the demonstrated health benefits that it may provide. This review study will provide an overview of the various natural sources of betaine, including different types of food products, and explore the potential of betaine as an innovative functional ingredient. It will thoroughly discuss its metabolic pathways and physiology, disease-preventing and health-promoting properties, and further highlight the extraction procedures and detection methods in different matrices. In addition, gaps in the existing scientific literature will be emphasized.
Topics: Betaine; Diet; Whole Grains; Dietary Fiber; Functional Food
PubMed: 37375378
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28124824 -
Scientific Reports Oct 2023The present study investigated the effect of foliar application of chitosan at 150 ppm and glycine betaine at 700 ppm on lettuce plants cv. Balady grown under...
The present study investigated the effect of foliar application of chitosan at 150 ppm and glycine betaine at 700 ppm on lettuce plants cv. Balady grown under well-watered and water deficit conditions in terms of growth, yield, quality, and water usage efficiency. The study was conducted in Qalubia Governorate, Egypt, during the two seasons of 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 on clay soil. Results indicated that water-stressed plants had a reduction in plant fresh weight, plant height, leaf area, and total yield, chlorophyll content and relative water content, while they exhibited an increase in total soluble solids, nitrate, and proline contents as well as water-use efficiency in both seasons. The foliar application of chitosan or glycine betaine to lettuce significantly improved plant performance under limited and normal irrigation conditions in comparison with untreated plants. The maximum positive effect was for chitosan foliar application. Overall, the results of this study indicated that foliar application of chitosan or glycine betaine was a substitute technology for improving the lettuce yield and quality as well as increasing water use efficiency under both irrigation regimes, but may be more efficient in lettuce plants subjected to a water deficit.
Topics: Antioxidants; Photosynthesis; Lactuca; Betaine; Chitosan; Dehydration
PubMed: 37828035
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43992-0 -
Journal of the International Society of... Dec 2023Because betaine (BET) supplementation may improve muscular strength and endurance, it seems plausible that BET will also influence CrossFit performance (CF). (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Because betaine (BET) supplementation may improve muscular strength and endurance, it seems plausible that BET will also influence CrossFit performance (CF).
PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of three weeks of BET supplementation on body composition, CF performance, muscle power in the Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT), and the concentrations of selected hormones. The secondary aims were to analyze the effectiveness of two different BET doses (2.5 and 5.0 g/d) and their interaction with the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genotype.
METHODS
The study was designed in a double-blinded randomized cross-over fashion. Forty-three CF practitioners completed the entire study. CF performance was measured using the Fight Gone Bad (FGB) workout and muscle power was evaluated in a 30-second WAnT. Body composition was determined by air-displacement plethysmography. Blood was drawn to assess hormone concentrations. The C677T single nucleotide polymorphism (rs180113) in the gene was analyzed.
RESULTS
FGB total improved with BET by 8.7 ± 13.6% ( < 0.001), but no significant changes were observed with placebo (- 0.4 ± 10.0%, = 0.128). No changes were also observed in WAnT and body composition. After BET supplementation testosterone concentration increased by 7.0 ± 15.4% with BET ( = 0.046) (no change with placebo: 1.5 ± 19.6%, = 0.884) but had no effect on concentrations of insulin-like growth factor or cortisol. Finally, there were no significant interactions between genotype and BET dose in any outcome.
CONCLUSIONS
BET supplementation may improve CF performance and increase testosterone concentration. However, there was no evidence of a difference between dosages (2.5 and 5.0 g/d) and genotypes. The trial was registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03702205) on 10 October 2018.
Topics: Humans; Betaine; Cross-Over Studies; Double-Blind Method; Testosterone; Dietary Supplements
PubMed: 37409757
DOI: 10.1080/15502783.2023.2231411