The research, lead by neuroscientists Gad Gilad and Varda Gilad, found that people who took agmatine reported accelerated improvement in their neuropathic pain measures and in their health-related quality of life.
Gad Gilad, also CEO of manufacturer Gilad&Gilad, told NutraIngredientsUSA.com: “Dietary agmatine may help people suffering from lumbar disc-associated radiculopathy, otherwise known as sciatica, to improve their quality of life by alleviating neuropathic symptoms.”
Agmatine, decarboxylated arginine, is a naturally occurring molecule widespread in low amounts in various plants, fish and meats.
Produced synthetically
Agmatine, branded as G-agmatine, is synthesized in living organisms by the decarboxylation of arginine. The product is produced synthetically for the company using a chemical reaction under regulated cGMP conditions.
According to the company, animal experiments have shown that agmatine produces effective neuroprotection in various models of nervous system trauma including stroke, epilepsy, diabetes and neurotoxins, effective reduction of neuropathic pain, anxiolytic and antidepressive effects. It also provides protection in models of heart and kidney injuries.
“For humans, historical reports describe hypoglycemic effects and our clinical study indicates alleviation of neuropathic symptoms including pain and motor deficits,” said Gilad.
G-agmatine is thought to benefit health by acting as a shotgun targeting multiple molecular mechanisms critical for healthy nervous system functions. These include:
- Modulating several neurotransmitters - molecules that transmit nerve signals (notably nicotine, glutamate, and noradrenaline)
- Blockading membrane channels that transport key salts into cells (notably potassium and calcium)
- Regulating nitric oxide (NO) production, a ubiquitous regulatory molecule
- Serving a building block for polyamines, known neuroprotective molecules
- Preventing processes that destroy extracellular proteins.
Neurologic functions
Gilad believes G-agnatine benefits specifically nerve health by modulating the above mechanisms. “The nerve cells are better conditioned to sustain insults due to fluctuating changes in metabolism or harsh external stimuli which we experience and thus, to be healthier as reflected by the execution of their neurologic functions,” he said.
Meanwhile, more than 20m US citizens cope with circumstances that affect normal peripheral nerve function, said the company.
The research, sponsored by Gilad&Gilad, was published in the journal Pain Medicine (Pain Med, 11: 356–368, 2010) will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto April 10 to April 17, 2010.