Y-Amino butyric acid GABA

In addition to the twenty amino acids commonly found in proteins, two others—selenocysteine and pyrrolysine—are found in some organisms, and more than 700 nonprotein amino acids are also found in nature. y-Amino-butyric acid (GABA), for instance, is found in the brain and acts as a neurotransmitter homocysteine is found in blood and is linked to coronary heart disease and thyroxine is found in the thyroid gland, where it acts as a hormone. 

The epilepsies constitute a common, serious neurological disorder in humans, affecting approximately 60 million people worldwide. Well in excess of 40 distinct epileptic syndromes have been identified to date. Current treatment is only symptomatic except in uncommon instances when surgical treatment is possible. While available antiseizure medications target ion channels such as the y-amino-butyric acid (GABA)a receptor and voltage activated sodium (Na+) channels, current research seeks to elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which a normal brain becomes epileptic. Hopefully, this research will lead to the identification of new targets for which small molecules can be identified and used for prevention or cure of epilepsy. 

After decontamination by emesis or lavage, patients should be carefully monitored for alterations in liver and kidney function, and treated symptomatically if necesseray. Seizures can be treated with anti-convulsant drugs. Because the toxin produces a deficiency of y-amino-butyric acid (GABA), specific treatment with pyridoxine (vitamin Bg) has been recommended. 

Cl dependence has been chiefly associated with amino acids which are not typical amino acids. These include taurine, -alanine, y-amino butyric acid (GABA), and betaine (Schon and Kelly, 1975 Kanner, 1978 Chesney, 1985 Turner, 1986 Kanner and Bendahan, 1990 Tiruppathi et al., 1992 Yamauchi et al., 1992). To a significant extent, some of these atypical amino acids (as well as glycine) are also neurotransmitters, although NaCl-coupled cotransport of these atypical amino acids also occurs outside the nervous system. The specificity for chloride is high. Of the anions tested (Cl-, Br-, I-, NO3, and glucuronate) as replacements, only sulphate has proved an effective substitute in a nominal way (25-50% of the activity in chloride see Turner, 1986). 

Neurotransmitters such as catecholamines (dopamine, serotonine), glutamate, y-amino butyric acid (GABA), or NO are low-molecular compounds which are released upon stimulation from neurons enabling... 

Due to an increased interest in analysis of physiological samples, we wanted to establish analyzer methods which would allow us to choose between our standard protocol for protein and peptide hydrolysates and a separate protocol for an expanded number of amino acids, to include the most important free amino acids found in physiological samples. A study of common analysis requirements in our facility indicated that only a limited number of the possible free physiological amino acids is needed for most unknown samples. These additional amino acids of interest are a-amino butyric acid, citrulline, y-amino butyric acid (GABA), hydroxyproline, hydroxylysine, ornithine, taurine, and tryptophan. Other amino acids of interest to us are phosphoserine, phosphothreonine, phosphotyrosine and carboxy-amino acids since they are released from glycoprotein or glycopeptide hydrolysates. 

---