title: Identification of aminoethylcysteine ketimine decarboxylated dimer, a natural antioxidant, in dietary vegetables.
abstract: Aminoethylcysteine ketimine decarboxylated dimer (simply named dimer) is a natural sulfur-containing tricyclic compound detected, until now, in human urine, bovine cerebellum, and human plasma. Recently, the antioxidant properties of this compound have been demonstrated. In this investigation, the presence of aminoethylcysteine ketimine decarboxylated dimer was identified in garlic, spinach, tomato, asparagus, aubergine, onion, pepper, and courgette. Identification of this compound in dietary vegetables was performed using gas chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results from GC analysis range in the order of 10(-4) micromol of dimer/g for all the tested vegetables. These results and the lack of a demonstrated biosynthetic pathway in humans might account for a dietary supply of this molecule.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche A. Rossi Fanelli and Centro di Biologia Molecolare del CNR, Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Macone
authors.forename: Mirella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nardini
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antonucci
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maggio
authors.forename: Rosa Marina
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Matarese
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004032:Diet; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D009025:Morpholines / Q000032:analysis*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: C086349:5,9a-dihydro-5-oxopyrrolo(2,1-c-3,4-b')dithiomorpholine; D000975:Antioxidants; D009025:Morpholines; D010936:Plant Extracts