title: Pharmacological effects and clinical applications of propionyl-L-carnitine.
abstract: Propionyl-L-carnitine (PLC) is a naturally occurring derivative of carnitine that plays an important role in the metabolism of both carbohydrates and lipids, leading to an increase of ATP generation. PLC, however, is not only a metabolic drug; it is also a potent antiradical agent and thus may protect tissues from oxidative damage. PLC has been demonstrated to exert a protective effect in different models of both cardiac and endothelial dysfunction, to prevent the progression of atherosclerosis, and, more recently, to improve some of the cardiometabolic alterations that frequently accompany insulin resistance. As a result, most of the clinical trials conducted in humans highlight PLC as a potential treatment option in cardiovascular diseases such as peripheral arterial disease, chronic heart failure, or stable angina, especially when type 2 diabetes mellitus or hyperglycemia (i.e., patients on hemodialysis) are also present. The aim of this review is to summarize the pharmacological effects and possible therapeutic applications of PLC, including the most recent findings to date.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mingorance
authors.forename: Rosalia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Rodriguez
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Justo
authors.forename: Maria Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Herrera
authors.forename: Maria Alvarez
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Sotomayor
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002331:Carnitine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004727:Endothelium / Q000187:drug effects; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; C003223:propionylcarnitine; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D002331:Carnitine