An Updated Review on Pharmaceutical Properties of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid

Abstract

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (Gaba) is a non-proteinogenic amino acid that is widely present in microorganisms, plants, and vertebrates. So far, Gaba is well known as a main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Its physiological roles are related to the modulation of synaptic transmission, the promotion of neuronal development and relaxation, and the prevention of sleeplessness and depression. Besides, various pharmaceutical properties of Gaba on non-neuronal peripheral tissues and organs were also reported due to anti-hypertension, anti-diabetes, anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammation, anti-microbial, anti-allergy, hepato-protection, reno-protection, and intestinal protection. Therefore, Gaba may be considered as potential alternative therapeutics for prevention and treatment of various diseases. Accordingly, this updated review was mainly focused to describe the pharmaceutical properties of Gaba as well as emphasize its important role regarding human health.

The Effects of Essential Oils and Terpenes in Relation to Their Routes of Intake and Application

“…There are two types of GABA receptors, GABA A are GABA-gated chloride channels located in post-synaptic membranes, whereas GABA B are G-protein coupled receptors located both in preand post-synaptic membranes [193]. There are also two sub-types of GABA B , which are called GABA B1 and GABA B2 , and there are GABAa-rho receptors, which form distinct ligand-gated Cl −− channels (previously called GABA C ) [194].…”

“…GABA is known as an inhibitory neurotransmitter [193]. Studies have shown that GABA has a neuroprotective effect against degeneration, preventing neurotoxic-induced cell death, decreasing apoptosis, and suppressing cytodestructive autophagy [193].…”

“…GABA is known as an inhibitory neurotransmitter [193]. Studies have shown that GABA has a neuroprotective effect against degeneration, preventing neurotoxic-induced cell death, decreasing apoptosis, and suppressing cytodestructive autophagy [193]. Some studies have also reported that GABA can improve memory and cognitive function, shorten sleep latency, and increase non-rapid eye movement sleep time, prevent depression, improve long-term memory, and increase neuronal cell proliferation, down-regulate hypertension and decrease blood pressure [91,193].…”

“…Studies have shown that GABA has a neuroprotective effect against degeneration, preventing neurotoxic-induced cell death, decreasing apoptosis, and suppressing cytodestructive autophagy [193]. Some studies have also reported that GABA can improve memory and cognitive function, shorten sleep latency, and increase non-rapid eye movement sleep time, prevent depression, improve long-term memory, and increase neuronal cell proliferation, down-regulate hypertension and decrease blood pressure [91,193]. GABA is also known to have an anti-diabetic effect, anti-cancer effect, anti-oxidant effect, anti-inflammatory effect, anti-nociceptive effect, anti-microbial effect, and anti-allergic effect [91,193].…”

Germinated Brown Rice Protects H9c2 Cardiomyocyte against Simulated Ischemic/Reperfusion Injury via Mediated Mitochondria Function

“…In addition, the results also indicated the potential effect of flavonoid on extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), c-Jun Nterminal kinases (JNK), p38, p65, IκBα, IκKα/β phosphorylation, and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) nuclear translocation(Shen, Lin, Jiang, Wang, & Zhu, 2020). In addition, it has been suggested that GABA has antihypertension, anti-diabetes, anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammation, anti-microbial, anti-allergy, hepatoprotection, reno-protection, and intestinal protection(Ngo & Vo, 2019). A study in islet β-cells has been revealed that GABA potentially exhibited its antidiabetic effects by modulating on PI3K/Akt-dependent growth and survival pathways.…”