Beneficial circulatory effect of L-arginine.
L-Arginine is an essential amino acid for infants and growing children. This amino acid is a substrate for at least five enzymes identified in mammals, including arginase, arginine-glycine transaminase, kyotorphine synthase, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and arginine decarboxylase. L-Arginine exerts antihypertensive and antiproliferative effects on vascular smooth muscles. NOS and arginine decarboxylase appear to be important for the effect of L-arginine on the circulatory system, since each produces nitric oxide (NO), a potent vasodilator, and agmatine, an endogenous noncatecholamine ligand for central alpha-2 adrenoceptors, from L-arginine. Several issues must be clarified before the mechanisms by which L-arginine exerts its effects on the circulatory system can be fully understood.
Nakaki
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T
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
Kato
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R
D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D002262:Carboxy-Lyases / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D004798:Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007223:Infant; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects
D004798:Enzymes; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; D002262:Carboxy-Lyases; C019722:arginine decarboxylase