• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.137-141
• /
• 2002

Taurine, amino acid, chemically known as 2-amino ethane sulphonic acid was discovered more than two hundred years ago from ox bile. it is widely distributed in both mammals and nonmammals. It is found in considerably high amount in hUl11an: a normal adult of 70 kgs contains about 70 grams of taurine. Taurine with this much concentration, is involved in almost all life processes. Its deficiency causes several abnormalities in major organs like brain, eye and heart. Taurine-bone interaction is latest addition to its long list of actions. In bone cells, taurine is also found in high concentration. Taurine is found to help in enhancing the bone tissue formation which is evidenced by increased matrix formation and collagen synthesis. Besides stimulating the bone tissue formation, it also inhibits the bone loss through inhibiting the bone resorption and osteoclast formation. Thus, taurine acts as a double agent. In addition to these two major actions of taurine in bone, it also has beneficial effect in wound healing mld bone repair. Taurine possess radioprotective properties, too. As it is a naturally available molecule, it can be used as a preventive agent. Taurine has a potential to replace bisphosphonates which are currently in use for the inhibition of bone loss but this needs in depth study. As taurine is involved in bone formation and inhibition of bone loss, a detailed study can make it a single marker of bone metabolism. All these taurine-bone interaction is a symbol of their deep involvement but still require further extension to make taurine as a choice for tile sound bone health.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.53 no.6
• /
• pp.314-320
• /
• 2009

We examined metabolic conversion of cysteine into glutathione (GSH) and taurine in rat liver under oxidative stress. Administration of tert-butylhydroperoxide (t-BHP) into the portal vein of male rats resulted in a rapid elevation of serum sorbitol dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase activities, which decreased gradually in 24 hr. Hepatic cysteine concentration was reduced in 3 hr, and recovered progressively, reaching a level greater than 200% of the normal value in 24 hr. GSH was increased both in liver and blood at 9 hr after t-BHP challenge, whereas hypotaurine or taurine was not altered. $\gamma$-Glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS) activity was increased from 9 hr after t-BHP treatment, but protein expression of the GCS-heavy subunit was not changed in liver. Activity or expression of cysteine dioxygenase was not affected by t-BHP treatment. Taken together, these data show that an acute oxidant challenge to the rats may induce upregulation of cysteine availability and GCS activity, resulting in an enhancement of hepatic GSH synthesis, but the increased cysteine level does not stimulate taurine synthesis via cysteine sulfinate pathway. It is indicated that the regulation of GSH and taurine biosynthesis from cysteine is not solely dependent on the cysteine concentration in rat liver under oxidative stress.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.9-15
• /
• 1999

Taurine contents in alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages, milk and milk products, sugars and condiments were determined for 83 food items commonly used by Koreans. Taurine concentrations of food samples were analyzed by using an automated amino acid analyzer(Biochrom 20, Pharmacia LKB) based on ion exchange chromatography. Taurine was not detected in most carbonated beverages, but found in a variety of fruit and vegetable beverages(canned) in the range of 0.13 ~1.43mg taurine/ 100g wt, and in instant coffee or tea beverages(canned) in the range of 0.10~0.41mg taurine/100g wt. The traditional Korean turbid rice wine(takju) sample contained the highest level of taurine (2.29mg/100g wt) among alcoholic beverages tested, which was followed by wine(0.59~0.88mg tau rine/100g wt) and beer(0.53~0.73mg taurine/100g wt). Ordinary milk samples contained 1.05~1.40 mg taurine/100g wt, and a variety of taurine supplemented infant formulas manufactured by Korean companies included 17.3~25.4mg taurine/100g wt. Taurine was not detected in most sugars and sweetners except a couple of chocolate samples(2.13~2.18mg taurine/100g wt). Exceptionally high level of taurine was found in a curry powder sample(16.9mg taurine/100g wt), while the rest of commonly used condiments contained less than 2.90mg taurine/100g wt.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.349-354
• /
• 2003

In order to manufacture the high-quality products as well as to promote their consumption, processing conditions for anchovy snacks were investigated. Seasoning juice-1 were made for 7% sugar, 2% salt, 5% soy sauce, 2% ginger, 1% pepper, 5% garlic, 5% onion, 2% glasswort extract and 0.5% taurine with water. Seasoning juice-2 were made for 15% frying powder, 15-20% starch syrup, 10% soybean powder and 2% sesame powder with water. Sensory evaluation revealed that overall acceptability of anchovy snacks with 30% moisture before popping, 15% frying powder and 15-20% starch syrup in seasoning juice-2 with 20 seconds popping time exceeded other groups of samples.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.55 no.5
• /
• pp.524-532
• /
• 2022

We investigated the effects of taurine-enriched rotifers on larval growth and swim bladder inflation of yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata. Rotifers were enriched with a commercial taurine supplement at two levels (0 and 800 mg/L). The larvae (initial notochord length=3.98±0.24 mm) were fed the enriched rotifers in triplicate from two days post-hatch for five days. The average taurine contents of the taurine non-enriched and enriched rotifers were 0.35±0.01 and 4.77±0.05 mg/g dry matter, respectively. The weight gain and specific growth rate of the fish fed enriched rotifers with the taurine supplement at 800 mg/L significantly improved compared with those of fish fed rotifers without taurine enrichment (P<0.05). The swim bladder inflation rate of larvae fed taurine enriched rotifers significantly (P<0.05). The results of the present study indicate that yellowtail larvae benefit from taurine concentrations compared with those typically reported to feed on non-taurine supplemented rotifers. Furthermore, taurine-enriched food for fish larval effectively improved the growth performance and swim bladder inflation of yellowtail larvae.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.1-3
• /
• 2001

This study was conducted to increase the content of taurine in milk from the dairy cows fed the rumen protected DL-methionine matrix and methionie hydroxy analog matrix for 42days. Dairy cows fed rumen protected DL-methionine matrix showed 23% increased milk taurine concentration compared to the value of the control groups. Dairy cows fed rumen protected methionine hydroxy analog matrix showed 53% increased milk taurine concentration compared to the value for the control groups (p<0.01).

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.404-414
• /
• 2015

Taurine is one of the most abundant free ${\beta}$-amino acids in the human body that accounts for 0.1% of the human body weight. It has a sulfonic acid group in place of the more common carboxylic acid group. Mollusks and meat are the major dietary source of taurine, and mother's milks also include high levels of this amino acid. The leukocytes, heart, muscle, retina, kidney, bone, and brain contain more taurine than other organs. Furthermore, taurine can be synthesized in the brain and liver from cysteine. There are no side effects of excessive taurine intake in humans; however, in case of taurine deficiency, retinal abnormalities, reduced plasma taurine concentration, and other abnormalities may occur. Taurine enters the cell via a cell membrane receptor. It is excreted in the urine (approximately 95%) and feces (approximately 5%). Taurine has a number of features and functions, including conjugation with bile acid, reduction of blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, promotion of neuron cell differentiation and growth, antioxidant effects, maintenance of cell membrane stability, retinal development, energy generation, depressant effects, regulation of calcium level, muscle contraction and relaxation, bone formation, anti-inflammatory effects, anti-cancer and anti-atherogenic effects, and osmotic pressure control. However, the properties, functions, and effects of taurine require further studies in future.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.31 no.8
• /
• pp.1315-1323
• /
• 1998

Effect of oral taurine supplementation on plasma total and phospholidpid -fatty acid profiles and their metabolism were evaluated in healthy female adults. Among twenty five female volunteers(23.6$\pm$0.3 years old ) participated in the taruine supplementation program(6g taurine /day), twenty four subjects succesfully completed the 2 week program , and only nine subjects continued to take taurine for another 2 weeks. Levels of plasma fatty acids and taruine were measured by gas-liquid chromatobraphy and an automated amino acid analyzer based on ion exchange chromatography, respectively. Plasma taurine concentration s of the subjects were 108. 7$\pm$3.4 , 184.2$\pm$8.2 and 235.9$\pm$77.0$\mu$emol/L at 0 , 2 and 4 weeks of taurine supplementation. Fatty acid compositions and elongation and desaturation indices of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in plasma total lipids were not influenced by oral taurine supplementation. However, fatty acid compositions and their metabolism in plasma phospholipids were significantly affected by taurine supplementation in female adults. Compared to the values for 0 week, the percentage of saturated fatty acids (SFA) in plasma phospholipid was significantly lowered at 2 weeks, but elevated at 4 weeks of taurine supplementation. In contrast , the percentage of phospholipid PUFA significantly increased at 2 weeks and decreased at 4 weeks of taurine supplementation from to the values for 0 weeks. Foru weeks of oral taurine supplementation signifinatly elevated the eongation index(20 : 4$\omega$6 ⇒22 : 4 $\omega$6, p<0.01), and decreased the desaturation index (20 : 3 $\omega$6 ⇒20 : 4 $\omega$6 , p<0.01) of $\omega$6 fatty acids in plasma phospholipids. Plasma taurine concentration was positively correlated with the percentage of 14 : 0 fatty acids and the enlongation index o f$\omega$3 fatty acids(20 : 5 $\omega$3 ⇒22 : 5 $\omega$3), and thenegatively correlated with the percentage of 20 : 0 in plasma phospholipids. These results indicate that oral taurine supplementation for 4 weeks signidicantly elelvated the percentage of SFA, and lowered the percentage of PUFA in plasma phospholipids with no influence on plasm total fatty aicd composition in healthy female adults.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.326-332
• /
• 1990

The chemical attractants for sea eels, Astroconger myriaster, were identified by using fish traps in their natural habitat around namhae island, southern part of Korea. The ethyl alcohol extracts of anchovy, Engraulis japonica, which was a very good baits for sea eels showed higher attraction activities than residuals of it. Because sea eels showed high attraction activities to the free amino acid or nucleotides of synthetic anchovy extract, the succeeding experiment was conducted to identify the major chemical attractants among 9 free amino acid and 2 nucleotides by omission test. L-Glutamic acid, L-glycine, taurine, L-methionine or IMP showed highest attraction activities among 11 chemical compounds. But sea eels showed significantly weaker attraction activities to the synthethic extracts and single component than to the natural extract.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.126-134
• /
• 1998

Our previous study demonstrated that dietary taurine or glycine supplementation significantly lowered plasma and hepatic cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in rats fed a cholesterol-free diet. In the present study, the effect of long term dietary taurine or glycine supplementation, for the purpose of preventing and/or treating of hyperlipidemia and other known biological functions, on plasma and hepatic free amino acid concentrations and profiles were evaluated in rats. Three groups of male rats(110-130g) were fed a control diet(CD), taurine-supplemented diets(TSD ; CD+ 1.5% taurine) or glycine-supplemented diet(GSD ; CD+1.5% glycine) for 5 weeks. Plasma and hepatic free amino acid concentrations were determined by an automated amino acid analyzer based on ion-exchange chormatography. The feeding of TSD for 5 weeks yielded a 444% higher plasma taurine concentration , and the feeding GSD for the same period resulted in a 143% higher plasma glycine level in rats compared to those fed DB. Hepatic taurine concentration was significantly higher in rats fed TSD(145% increase) compared to the control rats. However, hepatic glycine concentration was not influenced by dietary glycine supplementation , which implies that the massive dose of glycine entering the body was more rapidly metabolized or excreted than taurein. Dietary taurine or glycine supplementation resulted in similar changes in plasma free amino acid concentrations, except in levels of taurine and glycine. Plasma levels of histidine, lysine, phenylalanine , alanine, proline, hydroxypoline, $\alpha$-aminogutyric acid, cystathionine and ethanolamine were significantly higher in rats fed TSD or GSD than those fed GD. Glycine supplementation did not change hepatic free amino acid concentrations as compared to CD. Concentrations of most hepatic free amino acids were not influenced by dietary taurine supplementation with the exception of significantly higher levels of asparate and tyrosine(56-63% increase) and lower levels of histidine and glutamate(33-34% decrease) compared to the control rats. These results suggest long-term dietary taurine or glycine supplementation resulted in increases in most plasma free amino acid levels, but did not cause a characteristic change in plasma aminogram pattern compared to rats fed CD.