Aspartic Acid Synthesis Essay

Numerous neurological and behavioral side effects have been linked with consuming aspartame at well below the approved safe limits set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that has been ingested in the United States for over three decades. Even though there are several studies showing the harmful effects of its consumption. When aspartame is digested several toxic chemicals are produced, most notability formic acid & glutamate. Both of these chemicals cause the body to mimic the side effects of multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer. Even the passing of aspartame to be allowed in food was controversial. Just as the studies on it, continue to be today.

Aspartame is composed of aspartic acid (40%), phenylalanine (50%) and methanol (10%), the substance is present in sweetening but is also used by the food industry because of the lack of calories (recommended to persons who are dieting) and the fact of not being sugar, sweeten but 200 times more (recommended for diabetics). In the opinion of the director of Abran (2005), "considering that table sugar is caries (tooth decay), unlike aspartame, and that obesity is a worldwide epidemic, sweeteners can help combat excess calories in the diet." according to ANVISA, only people who are born with the problem of difficulty to metabolize phenylalanine (a condition called PKU) should avoid aspartame and foods containing phenylalanine (fish, chicken, beans, milk, etc). If industrial products, such as soft drinks, there is usually a warning on the label or packaging on the presence of phenylalanine.

Toxicity assay in cortical neurons: We next assessed neuronal viability using the uptake of the fluorescent exclusion dye Propidium Iodide (PI) and Fluorescein Diacetate (FDA), which is a cell permeable esterase substrate. This method is based on the fact that PI is permeable to cells only when there is damage to the cell membrane while FDA is a fluorescein molecule with two acetate groups attached via ester bonds. FDA passes the plasma membrane and live cells then cleaves the acetate groups resulting in a photostable fluorescein molecule that remains in the cell. PI and FDA were purchased in powder form (from Sigma, St. Louis, MO) and 1mM stock solution in HBSS for PI and 24mM for FDA in acetone were prepared for the assay. At DIV 8, mouse cortical cultured neurons (2.5X104cells /well) were treated with different concentrations of compounds along with vehicle (control) for 1 hour followed by cell viability stain. Cells were treated with a 100μM working concentration of PI for 10 minutes and then 12μM FDA was added. After 1 minute incubation images were captured using an IN CELL Analyzer 6000 (GE Healthcare Life Sciences), through a Nikon20X objective. During acquisition, the laser focus was auto adjusted for high contrast image capture. The number of PI positive cells corresponding to the total number of cells was calculated and data are represented in terms of percentage change in viability with respect to control. Our results shown in Figure XX suggest that these

These chemicals convert to formaldehyde and diketopiperazine (DKP), two types of neurotoxins, at 86 degrees Fahrenheit, which is way below the average human body temperature (Cohen 2). The chemicals "cross the blood brain barrier (BBB) … and chang[e] the chemistry of the brain (Orange 2)" which keeps the brain able to regulate the amount of amino acids allowed in the brain. This affects the hippocampus or the area of the brain that pertains to memory. Methanol is also "released in the small intestine when the methyl group of aspartame encounters the enzyme chymotrypsin (Stegink 1984, p 143)," as quoted on the Holistic Medicine website in the well sourced article "Scientific Abuse in Methanol/ Formaldehyde Research Related to Aspartame." While Monsanto may be correct in saying in a statement on July 1, 1999 that "It is physiologically impossible for aspartame to cause brain tumors because it never enters the blood stream and thus cannot travel to essential organs, including the brain," aspartame's byproduct methanol is absorbed into the blood stream and once there it breaks down into formaldehyde and methanol. On the Holistic Medicine

While the neurons play a pivotal role in the mechanism of addiction, these interactions are not the only nervous system component in change of sustaining and regulating neurotransmission. Glial cells, particularly astrocytes have shown to play essential role in the regulation of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission, conduction of nerve impulses, neurotransmitter metabolism and supply of energy metabolites for synaptic function (REFERENCE from TEXTBOOK). Glial cells of the central nervous system directly influence neuronal activity by releasing small neuroactive molecules, particularly glutamate. Long-lasting drug-induced reductions in extracellular glutamate in the nucleus accumbens core (NAcore) affect synaptic plasticity responsible

Because of this, many studies are being done seeking new strategies for the treatment of PKU. Enzyme therapy is one of these options that seeks to reduce the levels of Phe by altering the metabolic phenotype of PKU with Phe-metabolizing enzymes that are used as either a replacement or substitution. The most significant studies have shown that enzyme substitution with Phe ammonia-lyase can act as a substitute for the deficient phenylalanine hydroxylase enzyme. Administration of the Phe ammonia-lyase enzyme proved effective in reducing blood Phe levels. In addition to enzyme therapy, Large Neutral Amino Acid (LNAA) supplementation has been another therapeutic approach. LNAA supplementation works to compete with the Phe transporter in order to reduce the absorption of Phe into the brain. Mice with PKU have been given oral LNAA supplementation that has been proven effective in reducing Phe concentrations. This treatment could lead to the development of foods which contain higher concentrations of LNAA and could be integrated into the already existing PKU diet. Cell directed therapy and gene therapy are additional treatments currently under investigation. Cell directed therapy involves liver stem-cell transplantation. Liver cells are repopulated with PAH-expressing cells. Treatment on the cellular level could possibly lead

Most of the current focus on developing neuroprotective therapies is aimed at preventing neuronal death. However, these approaches have not been successful despite many years of clinical trials mainly because the numerous side effects observed in humans and absent in animals used at preclinical level. Recently, the research in this field aims to overcome this problem by developing strategies which induce, mimic, or boost endogenous protective responses and thus do not interfere with physiological neurotransmission.

Ever since artificial sweeteners have begun being commercially used their safety has been called into question. Aspartame has been accused of being carcinogenic after an animal study. In this study the specimens being observed were introduced to aspartame at doses similar to what humans frequently consume. The specimens that were introduced to aspartame had a higher incidence of leukemia and lymphomas than those who were not.

One of the main symptoms of the patients affected by AGC1 deficiency, i.e. the cerebral atrophy with global brain hypomyelination suggests that the blocked efflux of aspartate from neuronal mitochondria, due to the impaired AGC1, can alter the normal myelin formation (Falk et al., 2014; Wibom et al., 2009; Wolf & van der Knaap, 2009). The cytosolic aspartate is essential for many synthetic processes as that of urea, purines, pyrimidines and proteins. In neurons, aspartate and acetylCoA are the reagents of the Aspartate N-acetyl transferase (ANAT) enzyme that produces NAA (Goldstein, 1959; Knizley, 1967; Truckenmiller, Namboodiri, Brownstein, & Neale, 1985). NAA is the more concentrated molecule in

However, even though many consider it impactful on human health and even life threatening under certain circumstances, that isn’t nearly enough to stop it from being on the market. All facts considered, the product does have a right in today’s foods as it does solve a very large consumer problem being a calorie free and sugar free sweetener. What should be stated however are the numerous problems that are associated with aspartame, rather then the big cover up that is in place now. If those facts were explained to more consumers of aspartame, they could be far more educated on the product as to what side effects are associated with it. And maybe, my dad wouldn’t have ended up being barked at by my mom when he purchased the product for my sister and I to

Even though it has been proven to be safe, people think that aspartame causes side effects such as, seizures, breathing difficulties, depression, loss of taste, and types of cancer (Aspartame: By Far the Most Dangerous Substance Added to Most Foods Today). People think this because they have heard that Aspartame kills neurons in the brain, Aspartic Acid causes serious chronic neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease, Asperger Syndrome, and Brain Tumors, they also think that too much Phenylalanine (which is in Aspartame) causes emotional disorders, such as depression (Aspartame: By Far the Most Dangerous Substance Added to Most Foods Today). None of those side effects are legitimate. Many health agencies, both government and private, in America or around the world have found that Aspartame, if taken in safe doses is completely safe. But that does not mean that aspartame is completely safe. People with the rare disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) can not have Phenylalanine, which is a ingredient in many foods and drinks with high amounts of protein, especially, Meat, Fish, Eggs, Nuts, Dairy and Aspartame because their bodies cannot digest it (Aspartame: By Far the Most Dangerous Substance Added to Most Foods Today) (List of Foods That Contain Phenylalanine). When people with this disorder get too much Phenylalanine in their blood, there are some serious side effects, including

In vitro: Previous findings suggested that nicotinamide had a protective effect against PARP-1-induced astrocyte death. The transporter-mediated uptake of nicotinamide, which was extracellular pH-sensitive and common to N-methylnicotinamide, was found to be critical for prevention of PARP-1-triggered cell death [1].

A newer model for toxin-induced Parkinsonism is based on the herbizide rotenone. Rotenone is the most potent member of the rotenoids, a family of natural cytotoxic compounds extracted from various parts of Leguminosa plants. Like MPTP, rotenone is highly lipophilic and brain distribution is heterogeneous paralleling regional differences in oxidative metabolism (Talpade, Greene et al. 2000). In mitochondria, rotenone impairs oxidative phosphorylation by inhibiting nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)-ubiquinone reductase activity through its binding to the PSST subunit of the multipolypeptide enzyme complex I of the electron transport chain (Schuler and Casida 2001). Aside from its action on mitochondrial respiration, rotenone also inhibits

Aspartame is one of the most commonly used artificial sweeteners which is used in many diet drinks and sugar-free beverages, although some studies have supported the argument of the benefits of this sweetener. Aspartame is the carcinogen and has been linked to migraines, dizziness and tumours.

Since aspartame consists of phenylalanine and aspartic acid, it could be easily exposed to the brain. Fetal phenylalanine has the potential to reach levels that kills cells in tissue culture. Experimentally, it has been determined that infants are four times more sensitive to excitotoxins than adults. Plasticity of the brain is important in the learning process. Even when the baby is in the womb, the brain of the infant is being stimulated by sounds, touch, and even light causing changes in the brain's structure in important ways. All of this stimulation causes the pathways in the brain to change and develop. This process of molding the brain continues throughout life, but the majority of growth takes place within the first seven years of life. During these critical years, if unborn and young children are fed drinks or food containing aspartame, over-stimulation can occur. The overall consumption of aspartame by pregnant women and young children can be harmful to the function of the brain.