Kynurenine Tryptophan Cycle in Addiction

February 16, 2015

Kynurenine Tryptophan Cycle in Addiction

The immune system is an important part of normal body functioning. It is constantly modulating a balance between tolerance to non-harmful antigens and responsiveness to some pathogens. The process that facilitates tolerance is not known. However, recent studies show that this tolerance is due to tryptophan catabolism via the kynurenine metabolic pathway. The breakdown of tryptophan requires several enzymes which. These enzymes are found in various cells which includes those of the immune system.

Some of these enzymes involved in the breakdown of tryptophan produced through activation of the immune system. This process involves among others limitation of enzymes that are present in the dendritic cells and macrophages, 3-dioxygenase and indoleamine 2. Recent studies have shown that inhibition of these enzymes can result in the body rejecting allogeneic fetuses. This means that breakdown of tryptophan is necessary in immune tolerance aspects.

Some theories have been invented to try and explain how catabolism of tryptophan facilitates tolerance to drugs like alcohol. One such theory holds it that breakdown of tryptophan ends up suppressing proliferation of T cells by greatly reducing the supply of this amino acid that is critical in body processes. The other theory states that the down streaming of the metabolites involved in catabolism of tryptophan act as suppressors of some immune cells mainly through mechanisms of pro-apoptotic processes.

Kynurenine Tryptophan Cycle

What is tryptophan?

It is an amino acid that is required by all processes of the body for the synthesis of proteins and other body metabolic functions. Tryptophan is synthesized mainly from molecules like phosphoenolpyruvate that are present in bacteria, plants and fungi. Such organisms activate the tryptophan throughout the food chain. Animals are incapable of synthesizing this amino acid and because of this it must be taken in the diet in form of proteins which are then broken down into the respective amino acids in the digestive tract. The tryptophan that results from diet is deposited in the liver via the hepatic portal system. The protein that is not broken down in the liver enters into any of the two metabolic processes.

Because animals are incapable of synthesizing tryptophan, they must take it in the form of proteins, which are then hydrolyzed into the constituent amino acids in the digestive system. Dietary tryptophan is delivered to the liver through the hepatic portal system, and that portion which is not used for protein synthesis in the liver can then follow one of two basic metabolic fates.

In the first place, the protein that does not undergo synthesis can enter into the blood stream to later be used for synthesis of proteins and other cell functions in the body. Secondly, it can undergo degradation in the liver via a number of steps of metabolism which is basically referred to as the kynurenine pathway. Besides being a building block for proteins in the body, tryptophan also acts as the only source of substrate used for the production of important molecules in the body. Tryptophan is used in the gut and nervous system for serotonin synthesis and on the other hand pineal gland is useful in melatonin synthesis. In case the content of niacin in the body is not enough to carry out metabolic processes, tryptophan come in to facilitate cellular cofactor synthesis and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD +) synthesis. NAD + synthesis as research shows take place mostly in the liver.

The kynurenine pathway

The kynurenine pathway results from proteins that are not synthesized in the liver. The enzymatic reactions take place proceeding from tryptophan. The main intermediates of the metabolic system include quinolinate, 3-hydroxyanthranilate and kynurenine. A catabolic reaction is completed in the liver and this result in the total oxidation of the amino acid tryptophan and in the process carbon dioxide and adenosine triphosphate are produced.

Tryptophan metabolism and addiction

The three stages that take place in the kynurenine pathway include an intial stage that involves tryptophan being broken down into kynurenine. The second stage starts from the produced kynurenine all the way to production of quinolinate. The final stage of the process involves enzymes that translate into total oxidation. The other processes that occurs within the three major processes picolinate production, kynuretic acid synthesis and synthesis of NAD +.

Most cells in the body have some of the enzymes that are involved in the kynurenine pathway. However, only hepatocytes have been shown to contain each and every enzyme that is used in every stage of the kynurenine pathway. Since the liver is the only tissue in the body that contains all thes enzymes of the pathway, the liver then acts as the major site in which NAD + is synthesized from tryptophan. Diet and intake of certain substances like alcohol can affect the flow of metabolisms in the kynurenine pathway. For more information about this topic visit www.awaremednetwork.com. At AwareMed you will also find other health and awareness tips that will benefit you.

Kynurenine Tryptophan Cycle in Addiction

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Glycolysis Inhibitors Help in Fighting Cancer

August 4, 2014

The Role of Glycolysis Inhibitors In Fighting Cancer

The best way of killing cancer cells is to starve them. This is the safest way of killing cancer cell as the normal healthy cells are not affected by this way of killing the cancerous cells. In the past it was a big problem finding a way of killing the cancerous cells without affecting the healthy body cells. This is because all the cancer cells as well as the healthy body cells depend on glucose as their energy source that they need to survive. However very many researchers have done work on the subject of cancer cell metabolism and the discovery by Otto Warburg that the cancer cells depended entirely on glucose for source of energy unlike the healthy body cells that can adapt to other sources of energy like fats helps a lot in selective killing of cancer cells without hurting the healthy body cells. The cancerous cells undergo increased glycolysis and rely on this pathway for generation of ATP energy as their sole source of energy for growth and survival.

Basing arguments on the Warburg effect, doctors have come up with different cancer therapies to help in killing the cancer cells effectively without hurting the healthy body cells. The cancer cell overdependence on the glycolitic pathway for generation of ATP energy as the sole source of survival has provided a great loophole through which the cancer cells can be selectively killed without affecting any other healthy cell by inhibiting glycolysis.

There are Glycolytic inhibitors that can be used in maiming the cancer cells by denying them their source of livelihood. By inhibiting glycolysis they exert an anticancer effect on the cancer cells hence help in killing the cancer cells.

Glycolytic inhibitors can be used mostly in fighting cancer cells that have mitochondrial defects or in hypoxic conditions. These cells often become resistant to conventional medication such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy. However increased glycolysis is a common characteristic of all tumor cells and glycolysis inhibition can be used in wide range in treating cancer patients.

Though it may be difficult to understand the molecular and biochemical mechanisms that lead to increased aerobic glycolysis in the cancer cells, the metabolic repercussions of this increased glycolysis is very clear. The malignant cells become dependent or other addicted to the glycolysis pathway as the sole source of ATP energy. Researchers opine that the increased glycolysis in cancer cells may be caused by such factors as; hypoxia, oncogenic signals as well as mitochondrial dysfunction.

The cancer cells have to access a reliable supply of glucose in order to live. Unlike oxidative phosphorylation which generates more ATP energy per glucose the ATP generation of ATP through glycolysis is too little. Typically oxidative phosphorylation produces 36 ATP per glucose while glycolysis produces 2 ATP per glucose. This therefore forces the cancer cells to eat more glucose for effective metabolism as well as to accomplish other activities. The cancer cells therefore need to maintain glycolitic activities in order to grow and live on.

This metabolic characteristic of the cancer cells has availed a better way of killing cancer cells. Researchers have now proved that by inhibiting glycolysis the cancer cell will stop production of the ATP energy that they depend on and so they will die out of starvation.

When there is glycolysis inhibition the normal body cells will be able to adapt to other metabolic pathways to generate the ATP energy through the TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria. The cancer cells however cannot adapt to other sources of ATP as they have defects hence will die as they will not be able to live without another source of ATP energy. The healthy body cells will be able to adapt to new sources of energy like fatty acids and amino acids to produce metabolic intermediates channeled to the TCA cycle for ATP production through respiration. Glycolysis inhibition is therefore a clever way of killing the cancer cells without harm on the healthy body cells.

DCA as a Glycolysis inhibitor

The way DCA works as a glycolysis inhibitor is very interesting; it forces the cancer cells to generate ATP through glucose oxidation but the cancer cells are not able to do this and they get starved and die. The healthy body cells can adapt to metabolic changes unlike the cancerous cells. The first way through which the body cells get energy is through glucose oxidation which happens in the mitochondria of every cell in the body and requires oxygen. Glucose respiration is the mostly utilized form of metabolism in the healthy cells. However in absence of oxygen the cells turn to glycolysis which takes place in the cell cytoplasm for energy generation. Glycolysis does not avail adequate ATP energy for normal cells; however it is the best for cancer cells. Glycolysis depends on sugar. This gives the healthy cell advantage as they have a backup plan in case the oxygen supply is interrupted. However to oxidize glucose there must be pyruvate. Pyruvate entry into the mitochondria is inhibited by an enzyme known as pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK). In case the PDK is strong then it will limit the transportation of pyruvate into the mitochondria and the healthy cells will have to depend on glycolysis even in presence of oxygen but incase its weak the pyruvate will be transported with ease to mitochondria even when the oxygen is low.

Cancer cells have the most active PDK than the healthy cells and they are adapted to glycolysis. When PDK is weak then the cancer cells are disadvantaged and this is what the DCA does. It weakens PDK forcing the cancer cells to rely on glucose oxidation which does not favor them. Hence they will starve and die.

Dr. Dalal Akoury is an experienced integrative cancer doctor who has seen very many cancer patients journey to victory in their fight against cancer. She is available for consultations. Just call her now and begin your journey to victory against cancer.

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Embracing Green Tea To Fight Cancer

July 17, 2014

Green Tea’s Ability To Fight Cancer Discovered

Green Tea Seemingly, cancer research institutions, research individuals and concerned doctors are not ready to quit doing research studies to find out more ways of cancer treatment. Very many alternative cancer treatment methods have been developed in the recent years, thanks to the researchers and doctors who have continued to work tirelessly to make cancer treatment better for the patients as well as well avail helpful information to those who want to stay cancer free.

Even with the many research studies and new discoveries relating to cancer treatment, it has still continued to rob us of our loved ones posing another valid reason for doctors to continue in their endless research to save the situation. Among the most common type of cancer is the breast cancer which has become synonymous to death of many women throughout the world, prostate cancer that is a problem to most men worldwide, colon cancer, rectal cancer and liver cancer among others. In the United States alone breast cancer has been claiming at least 40,000 lives from 2010. Generally cancer has been a major cause of death not only in the United States but also in the rest of the world.

Are Conventional Cancer treatments still a choice for cancer victims?

Conventional Cancer treatments like chemotherapy are feared by most patients because of the severe side effects on the patients associated with it. Known treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy not only kill the cancerous cells in the cancer patient but also kill the healthy cells. This leads to the cancer patient having a poor health condition after the treatment as most healthy cells are trying to recover. Some of the side effects associated with chemotherapy include weight loss, loss of hair and loss of appetite. Conventional cancer treatments are also associated with severe pain forcing most of the cancer patients to look for better alternatives to treat cancer.

One of the alternatives that cancer patients are using is nutrition. Some foods are useful in fighting cancer and green tea has been mentioned to be one of them.

Scientists have emphasized the role of nutrition in fighting cancer there are foods that are useful in fighting cancer. Nutrition can be modified or better yet be balanced to help in fighting cancer. When you eat foods that are rich in antioxidants, they will fight the free radicals and other malignant cells that may turn cancerous. Other foods that are said to be effective in fighting cancer include; berries, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, tomatoes, carrots, grapes, and even oily fish.

Over the past years researchers have been promoting the green tea and its extracts as a treatment for cancer as well as other diseases but there has never been an explanation to why the green tea could be of value in cancer treatment. Scientists have done many researches on the green tea to find out which property does it have that enables it to fight cancer and inhibit growth of cancer cells.

A recent study that was published online by the journal Metabolomics provides a basis of explanation to why green tea can help in cancer treatment. Researches may build on this basis to do more research and come with more reliable explanations. In the study report, it’s stated that an active green tea component known as EGCG changed the metabolism of pancreatic cancer cells by suppressing the expression of an enzyme associated with cancer, LDHA.

Green Tea

The research report also stated that oxamate which is an enzyme inhibitor also reduced the activities of the LDHA thereby disrupting the metabolism system of the cancer cells.

“Scientists had believed they needed a molecular mechanism to treat cancer, but this study shows that they can change the metabolic system and have an impact on cancer, By explaining how green tea’s active component could prevent cancer, this study will open the door to a whole new area of cancer research and help us understand how other foods can prevent cancer or slow the growth of cancerous cells.” expressed Wai-Nang Lee, MD, the author of the study and a Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed) lead researcher.

The researchers used sophisticated metabolic profiling methods that helped them to find out how EGCG altered the balance of “flux” in the cellular metabolic network. Flux refers to the rate of turnover of molecules through a metabolic pathway. The research proved that EGCG disrupted this balance just as oxamate does. Oxamate is known as a LDHA inhibitor.

The researchers made a conclusion after the observations that both EGCG and oxalate found in the green tea help in reducing the risk to cancer by inhibiting the activities of the LDHA which is an enzyme that promotes metabolism in cancer cells hence maiming cancer cell metabolic abilities.

“This is an entirely new way of looking at metabolism, it is no longer a case of glucose goes in and energy comes out. Now we understand how cancer cell metabolism can be disrupted, and we can examine how we can use this knowledge to try to alter the course of cancer or prevent cancer.” Dr. Lee. Concluded.

Cancer treatment is a crucial subject and you need to be equipped with information not only on cancer treatment but also on how you can prevent cancer. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) has been reaching many people who are seeking cancer treatment through her website where she has always availed very useful information not only about cancer but also on other health threatening diseases like addiction among others. You surely need to get in touch with her so that you may tap in her huge knowledge and experience on health issues.

Green Tea’s Ability To Fight Cancer Discovered

Bioenergetics Supplements Overcome Heart Disease

June 29, 2014

Bioenergetics Supplements Overcome Heart Disease

The triads of Bioenergetics Supplements generate and transform the energy that occur in living organisms for cellular metabolism and removing cellular toxins for maintaining sound health to avert heart ailments.

Remaining healthy after a certain age is a real problem. All of us are victim of this at some stages of life. There is no fixed age when your heart problem may start. These days most of the urban people are suffering from various heart problems and cardiovascular disorders are the most predominant cause of the death toll. Generally if you are over 40 you need to be more and more cautious.

We have only one heart and once this is damaged the total body function gets jeopardized. So you why not to start taking care of the heart from today itself? Prevention is always a better option as it helps to keep you safe from serious problems in the future. There are many preventive measures for taking care of your heart amongst which Bioenergetics supplements enjoys a special place for prevention of heart diseases and also to overcome that. This article aims to help you to learn some basic facts about this to avert heart disease.

What is the triad of Bioenergetics Supplements that overcome heart disease?

Traditionally heart diseases have treated with medicine, surgery or both. With the advent of metabolic cardiology the threshold of other ways opened for some less invasive and safer heart disease treatment, its prevention and cure. The triad plays a quite a different role in giving our muscles and heart the metabolic support for quick energy build up and efficient transformation and eventually using of the same. This triad is remarkably effective in preserving health of the heart and also in treatment of neuromuscular diseases like fibromyalgia affected by failures in cellular energy metabolism. Read on; the following lines will give you information about the three components of the supplement and their functions.

Coenzyme Q10 is a vitamin like substance found in the body, especially in heart, liver, kidney and pancreas. This is effective in congestive heart failure, decreasing the risk of additional heart problems in myocardial infarction and preventing high blood pressure when combined with other medicines. This is an antioxidant and acts as the spark that ignites the cellular energy process and keeps it running.

L-carnitine helps the body to turns fat into energy. Your body makes it in the liver and kidney and stores in the muscles and the heart. This is used in many treatments because it acts as an antioxidant that neutralizes harmful substances in the body known as free radicals. Once you are on carnitine dose, it can remove toxins from your body. This is also found to be effective in management of heart disease.

D-Ribose is the only compound used by the body for regulating the metabolic pathways. No matter how your body cells recycle energy, it helps to maintain healthy energy pool essential for cellular functions. It creates energy molecules and sustain cellular energy metabolism that helps to maintain cardiovascular health and wellness.

What are the benefits Bioenergetics Supplements Overcome Heart Disease?

The Bioenergetics supplements have several benefits like

Help you to boost health of the heart by producing more energy in the cells and strengthen the cardiovascular system.
Acts as antioxidants for removing free radicals and toxins form you body thus helping to reduce the signs of aging.
Maintains steady blood pressure level by promoting smooth blood circulation and a more efficient heart with improved cardiac function and free from hypertension.
Increase physical energy and boost the immunization system by providing protection against the bad effects of the free radicals.
Lowers the probability of having cardiovascular disorders by helping to supply the crucial energy reserve needed to preserve cardiovascular health.
Support weight loss and increase endurance- When your cells are fueled with this supplement your body cells function at their maximum potential and your metabolism reaches an optimum level. This increase in metabolism decreases body fat percentage and enhance endurance.

How Bioenergetics Supplements prevent and overcome heart disease?

Contrary to the popular belief that your heart stops beating during heart failures, what actually happens is that the heart fails to pump enough blood for functioning. Bioenergetics acts on the principle of supplying a steady flow of energy to your heart to avert heart failures.

Heart disease is not a single disease. It is rather a sum total of various conditions where the blood vessels that supplies blood to the heart and pump it out get damaged or do not function normally. These supplements create and supply sufficient energy into the cells for smooth functioning. When it comes to the management of the heart disease Biogenetics Supplements can play havoc in maximizing the amount of oxygen delivery to the heart and skeletal muscles by accelerating the rate of transforming your food into energy in your cells, thus bringing you heart and muscle energy to a new level. The supplement transports fatty acids to the mitochondria or center of the cells and oxidizes it to transform into energy. The cells work to metabolize the fat thus helping fat reduction, weight loss and considerably decreasing the probability of heart disease.

Research data on bioenergetics supplements

Extensive research and studies have been conducted for evaluating the efficacies of the constituent of the Biogenetics Supplements in managing heart ailments.

According to John St. Cyr, M.D. Ph.D. a leading expert in cardiac metabolism research has shown that ribose administration is effective in heart and muscle disease and a number of other conditions. Ribose is extraordinarily effective in tissue energy synthesis needed for cellular energy or cellular energy recovery. People with heart and muscle disease or those at risk for those conditions can benefit from ribose administration, that is bioenergetics supplements.

Results of another study on Coenzyme Q10 published in the European Journal of Heart Failure say that after three months of bioenergetics supplements, there was a trend of reduction in heart failure severity. This demonstrates how CoQ10 is important for heart health benefits for cardiac patients.

Several studies also indicate that carnitine, often in the form of propionyl-L-carnitine can improve symptoms of congestive heart failures. In one trail benefits were maintained for 60 days after withdrawal of carnitine.

Hope you have enjoyed the journey and learned the basics of how heart disease supplements work. For more details you may see

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