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Long term oral citrulline supplementation in normal rats
Author(s) -
Berthe Marie Clotilde,
Breuillard Charlotte,
Couderc Remy,
Marc Julie,
Cynober Luc,
Darquy Sylviane
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.872.1
Subject(s) - arginase , medicine , ornithine , endocrinology , arginine , citrulline , chemistry , nitric oxide , urea , metabolism , zoology , amino acid , biochemistry , biology
Administration of arginine (Arg) is associated with higher mortality in a clinical trial. The application of citrulline (Cit)as an indirect progenitor for nitric oxide (NO) synthesis is therefore of particular interest. Also, Cit is not a substrate or inducer of arginase, and bypasses the liver metabolism, whereas Arg converted into urea and ornithine (Orn) and is therefore no longer available for endothelial NO synthesis In this study , we evaluated the effects of a diet with ranging Cit enrichment. Sprague‐Dawley rats (aged 8 weeks) were housed in metabolic cages to monitor food intake, and body weight daily. Every three days blood was sampled at the retro‐orbital sinus to determine glycaemia, insulinemia and amino acids. Rats were given 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 g Cit/kg body weight mixed into their chow. After 3 weeks they were anaesthetised, decapitated, and blood was collected Results: Weight (g) increase was not significantly different between the 3 groups (on Day 21: 320±16; 316±19 and 314±8 for the 0.5g, 1 g and 2g Cit groups respectively). A peak of plasma Cit, Arg and Orn (μmol/l) was observed on Day 10. *p<0.005 vs same Cit supplementation at day 0. An increase in glycaemia was observed on Day 21 in all 3 groups; 9.11±0.95, 8.03±0.39 and 9.09±0.40 (mmol/l) in the 0.5g, 1g and 2g Cit groups respectively, without modification to insulinemia: Conclusions: Cit is able to increase plama Arg, so Cit administration can be considered as an alternative to arginine supplementation in clinical use.