Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Vol. 5(17), pp. 3997-4000, 9 September, 2011 Available online at http://www.academicjournals.

org/JMPR ISSN 1996-0875 2011 Academic Journals

Review

Amino acids: A review article

M. Akram1,4*, H. M. Asif2, M. Uzair3, Naveed Akhtar2, Asadullah Madni2, S. M. Ali Shah2, Zahoor ul Hasan1 and Asmat Ullah1
Shifa ul Mulk Memorial Hospital, Hamdard University, Karachi, Pakistan. Faculty of Pharmacy and Alternative Medicine, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan. 3 Faculty of Pharmacy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan. 4 Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Eastern Medicine, Hamdard University, Karachi, Madinat-al-Hikmah, Muhammad Bin Qasim Avenue, Karachi, Pakistan-74600, Pakistan.
2 1

Accepted 8 April, 2011

Amino acids are building blocks of protein. More than 300 amino acids have been described, but only 20 amino acids take part in protein synthesis. All twenty amino acids did not appear simultaneously in nature. Instead some of them appeared early, while others were added into the genetic code later. It is necessary to take them in the diet because their deficiency results in decrease formation of protein that ultimately leads to disease condition. In this article, amino acids, its functions and associated diseases have been elaborated. Key words: Amino acids, activity, diseases. INTRODUCTION Amino acids are basic unit of protein. Amino acids contain an amino group and a carboxylic group. Amino acids play major role in regulating multiple processes related to gene expression, including modulation of the function of the proteins that mediate messenger RNA (mRNA) translation (Scot et al., 2006). Amino acids are utilized in formation of protein. If amino acids are deficient, then protein synthesis does not occur. As a result protein deficiency disease may occur. It is necessary to take balanced diet containing all essential amino acids. Specific amino acids are known to acutely and chronically regulate insulin secretion from pancreatic -cells in vivo and in vitro (Lorraine et al., 2006). Amino acids are categorized as acidic, basic and neutral amino acids. Some amino acids are not synthesized in the body and it is necessary to take them in diet. Such types of amino acids are called essential amino acids. Some amino acids are synthesized in the body and there is no needs to take them in diet, such type of amino acids are called non essential amino acids. Some amino acids are synthesized in the body but their production is insufficient such type of amino acids are called semi-essential amino acids (Hellwinkel, 2001; IUPAC-IUB, 1968). Amino acids help in tissue protein formation. Some amino acids are involved in enzyme formation. Hormones like insulin, growth hormone and glucagon are made up of amino acids. Adrenaline, nor-adrenaline and thyroxin are made up of single amino acid. Glutathione, a physiologically active peptide is also made up of amino acids. Amino acids are involved in synthesis of melanin. It has been studied that amino-acid balance in cancer patients often differs from that in healthy individuals, because of metabolic changes (Jun et al., 2010). In liver cirrhosis functions of dendritic cells (DCs) are impaired and cirrhotic patients may show decreased levels of plasma branched-chain amino acids (Eiji et al., 2007). Glutamic acid It is an acidic amino acid. It helps in synthesis of glutathione. It is converted to alpha ketoglutaric acid in transamination reactions. GABA
*Corresponding author. E-mail: makram_0451@hotmail.com. Tel: 92-021-6440083. Fax: 92-021-6440079.

It is called gamma amino butyric acid. It is formed from glutamic acid. It is a neurotransmitter.

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Tyrosine Tyrosine is usually used in synthesis of thyroid hormones. It is also utilized to form Dihydroxyphenylalanine, noradrenaline and adrenaline. Cysteine It is a sulpher containing amino acid. It is obtained from methionine. Dopa Dopa is a neurotransmitter. It is converted to dopamine. Dopamine deficiency results in parkinsonism. Tryptophan Tryptophan is produced from Niacin. Niacin deficiency results in pellagra. Proline Proline is an amino acid that is hydroxylated to hydroxyproline in presence of vitamin c. If vitamin c deficiency occurs. It leads to a disease condition called Scurvy. Scurvy is characterized by swollen gums and bleeding upon pressing the gums. Glycine Glycine is helpful in formation of bile acids. It combines with colic acid to form glycocholate. It converts benzoic acid to hippuric acid in the liver. It is also a component of glutathione. It is utilized in biosynthesis of creatine, heme and purines. Citrulline It is a necessary component of urea cycle where it is formed from ornithine and carbamoyl phosphate in presence of an enzyme called ornithine transferase. Citrulline combines with aspartate and form arginosuccinate in urea cycle. Ornithine It is also a component of urea cycle. It is formed from arginine by action of arginase. During this reaction urea synthesis occurs and carbon dioxide is produced.

AMINO ACIDS IN PLANTS Amino acids are present in plant and form protein. Plants synthesize amino acids from the carbon and oxygen that is obtained from air and hydrogen from water in the soil. Amino acids play important role to increase yield and overall quality of crops. Amino acids are absorbed through stomas in plants. It has been observed that amino acids influence the physiological activities of the plant. Plant mutants for amino acid transporter genes are now being used to study the physiological functions of many of the cloned genes (Wolf et al., 1998). Amino acid and GABA content in different cultivars of Momordica charantia L. A study was carried out to determine the variability of amino acid levels including gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in six cultivars of bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) of different countries. Nikko and Peacock from Japan, Galaxy and Verde Buenas from Philippines and two native cultivars from China and Korea were selected for study. Cultivars varied considerably in the amounts of different amino acids Table 1. It was concluded that bitter melon cultivars varies in the amount of different amino acids and GABA and is a good source of amino acids and GABA in the development of food supplements (Yong et al., 2009). Role of plasma amino acids in alcoholic and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease It has been observed that alcohol interferes with the action of gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) and other neurotransmitters. As alcohol metabolism occurs in liver, therefore a pilot study was carried out to monitor the patterns of changes in plasma amino-acid concentrations. Plasma amino acids concentration changes were monitored in alcoholic and non alcoholic fatty liver. In this study, it was concluded that alcoholic liver disease presented a more deranged plasma amino acid pattern than nonalcoholic (Mukherjee et al., 2010). Phenylketonuria Normally phenylalanine is converted to tyrosine. If there is deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase, phenylalanine is not converted to tyrosine. As a result alternative catabolites are produced. These catabolites are phenyl acetate and phenyl lactate. Phenyl acetate is conjugated with glutamine and excreted as phenyl acetyl glutamine in urine producing mouse odour in urine. Accumulation of phenyl alanine leads to defective serotonin formation, impaired melanin formation, children that are affected

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Table 1. Amino acids classification.

Essential amino acids Lysine Methionine Valine Tryptophan Isoleucine Histidine Phenylalanine Threonine Leucine Arginine

Non essential amino acids Cysteine Tyrosine Serine Alanine Asparagines Aspartic acid Glutamic acid Glycine Hydroxylysine Proline

Special amino acids GABA DOPA Citrulline Ornithine Taurine

with this disease have fair hair and fair skin and are mentally retarded, other features include seizure, psychosis and eczema. Albinism It is an inherited disorder that occurs due to deficiency of enzyme tyrosinase. Tyrosinase is involved in synthesis of melanin. Due to deficiency of melanin, patient becomes white. Alkaptonuria It is a genetic disorder that occurs due to deficiency of homogentisic acid oxidase. In this disease, accumulation of homogentisic acid occurs in the body. Manifestations of this disease include dark urine and generalized pigmentation of connective tissues. DISCUSSION Some amino acids are ketogenic amino acids that form ketone bodies. Ketone bodies are chemical substances that the body forms when there is not enough insulin in the blood. Ketone bodies are acetoacetate, beta hydroxyl butyrate and acetone. Ketone bodies are formed in starvation. Energy is produced from ketone bodies in starvation. One acetoacetate give two acetyl Co A. When one acetyl Co. A enters TCA cycle, it produces 12 ATP. Glucogenic amino acids form glucose. Gluconeogenesis is a process in which glucose is formed from non carbohydrate substances. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, containing indole ring in its structure. It is essential part of some proteins. Tryptophan produces serotonin. Increase serotonin level elevates the mood and decrease level causes depression. In the body 60 mg of tryptophan produces 1 mg of Niacin. Niacin deficiency results in pellagra. Sign and symptoms of Pellagra include diarrhea, dementia and dermatitis. Some

amino acids help in formation of enzymes that catalyze the chemical reaction (Usdin et al., 1967). Mutations in the neutral amino acid transporter B0AT1 causes Hartnup disorder. It is an autosomal recessive disorder. Iminoglycinuria is a multigene disorder. The proton amino acid transporters PAT1 and PAT2, the IMINO transporter and the glycine transporter XT2 play important roles in the resorption of glycine and proline. Recent research in the cloning and identification of epithelial amino acid transporters provides basis for the identification of genes that are involved in Hartnup disorder and Iminoglycinuria. Sequence analysis of these genes is currently in progress (Stefan, 2006). A study was carried out to measure amino acid contents in the brains of patients with dominantly inherited cerebellar disorders. In these patients, clinical sign and symptoms were similar but biochemically different disorders were observed. In one disorder, moderate reduction of aspartate and glutamate contents in cerebellar cortex was observed. In a second disorder, aspartate and glutamate were reduced markedly in cerebellar cortex and other brain areas. In third disorder, aspartate and glutamate contents were normal in cerebellar cortex. In this study, it was concluded that reduction in amino acid content probably imply loss of specific cerebellar neurons (Thomas et al., 1981). CONCLUSION Amino acids are necessary for protein synthesis and have various functions in the body. It is necessary to take them in the diet because their deficiency results in decrease formation of protein or protein is not formed as a result protein deficiency may occur. It is concluded that amino acid play important role in our body.
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