• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.49-55
• /
• 2001

Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC), an endogenous component of the L-carnitine family, is naturally occurring molecule synthesized from L-carnitine (LC) by carnitine acetyl transferase. ALC has been shown to improve the cognitive performance of patients suffering from dementia of the Alzheimer's type and proposed for treating Alzheimer's disease in pharmacological doses. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the bioequivalence of two ALC tablets, $Nicetile^{TM}$ (Dong-A pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) and $Neurocetil^{TM}$ (Kyung-Dong Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.), according to the guidelines of Korea Food and Drug Administration. Twenty six normal male volunteers, $22.80{\pm}2.76$ year in age and $63.07{\pm}7.98\;kg$ in body weight, were divided into two groups and a randomized $2{\times}2$ cross-over study was employed. After one tablet containing 500 mg of ALC was orally administered, blood was taken at predetermined time intervals and the concentrations of ALC in serum were determined using HPLC with fluorescence detector. Because of the presence of endogenous ALC, the calibration was performed using dialyzed serum. Pharmacokinetic parameters such as $AUC_t$, $C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$ were calculated and ANOVA was utilized for the statistical analysis of the parameters. The results showed that the differences in $AUC_t$, $C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$ between two tablets were 2.72%, -0.65% and -8.42%, respectively, when calculated against the $Nicetile^{TM}$ tablet. The powers $(1-{\beta})$ for $AUC_t\;and\;C_{max}$ were 94.87% and 87.17%, respectively. Minimum detectable differences $({\Delta})$ at ${\alpha}=0.05$ and $1-{\beta}=0.8$ were less than 20% (e.g., 15.58% and 19.16% $AUC_t\;C_{max}$, respectively). The 90% confidence intervals were within ${\pm}20%$ (e.g., $-11.84{\sim}6.41$ and $-10.57{\sim}11.88$for $AUC_t\;and\;C_{max}$, respectively). Two parameters met the criteria of KFDA for bioequivalence, indicating that $Neurocetil^{TM}$ tablet is bioequivalent to $Nicetile^{TM}$ tablet.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.210-217
• /
• 2006

This study was performed to investigate effects of the experimental mixture containing soybean peptides, L-carnitine and Garcinia Cambogia extract on body weight and lipid metabolism in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=40) of eight weeks old were raised for four weeks with high fat diet (40% fat as calorie) to induce obesity. After induction of obesity, rats were feed control (C) diet, containing either 0.16% (+1D), 1.6% (+10D), 8% (+50D) of experimental mixture for eight weeks. Plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity and total protein and albumin concentration were not different among groups. The Body weight gain was significantly lower in experimental mixture diet group compared to control group. Weights of perirenal fat pad and epididymal fat pad in the +50D group were significantly lower than those in the +1D and +10D groups. Plasma total lipid and liver total cholesterol levels in the experimental groups were significantly lower than those in the control group. Fecal total lipid and total cholesterol excretions were highest in +50D group. These results suggest that the experimental mixture containing peptides, L-carnitine and Garsinia Canbogia extract is effective for reducing the body weight and adipose tissue weight which may be due to the modulation of lipid metabolism and the increased fecal excretion of lipid.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.293-298
• /
• 2002

Carnitine is considered a conditionally essential nutrient because dietary sources may become important under conditions which either reduce biosynthesis or increase urinary excretion of carnitine. Therefore, it is important to have a database for dietary analysis for carnitine content. Because there is limited data available for the carnitine content of Korean foods, this study was undertaken to analyze the total carnitine (TCNE) content of 146 commonly consumed Korean foods. TCNE concentrations were assayed using a modified radioisotopic method. Beef and pork contained 91.09 and 17.21 mg TCNE / 100 g weight, respectively. Fish and shellfish ranged from 0.28 to 24.87 mg TCNE / 100g weight. TCNE concentration in milk was 1.77 mg / 100 mL and cheese was 0.49 mg / 100 g weight. Cereals and pulses contained between 0 and 1.43 mg TCNE / 100 g weight. The TCNE concentration of most fruits and vegetables was between 0 and 0.7 mg 1100 g weight. However, mushrooms contained between 2.77 and 7.02 mg of TCNE / 100 g weight. Soy sauce, soybean paste and fermented red pepper soybean paste contained 1.05, 0.28 and 0.5 mg TCNE / 100 g weight, respectively. These results demonstrate that TCNE concentrations are high in meat, fish, shellfish and milk, but low or non-existent fruits and vegetables. However, mushrooms are a substantial source of vegetable derived TCNE. These data will be useful in establishing a database for determining the TCNE content of Korean diets.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.181-187
• /
• 2009

Carnitine is known to be involved in lipid metabolism and affects body composition as well as energy metabolism of the whole body. Improvement of obesity by L-carnitine supplement suggests that obesity can be related with the abnormality of carnitine metabolism and therefore, plasma carnitine level in normal and obesity groups was investigated. For the characterization of plasma carnitine level in obese people, 60 plasma samples collected from Korean women subjects were analyzed using LC/MS and plasma fatty acid level was also determined using GC/MS. Additionally, several clinical chemical parameters including fasting glucose, cholesterol, AST, and ALT level were measured. All the data obtained were combined and pattern recognition analysis was carried out with the dataset. Obese group showed a different metabolic pattern compared with normal group. Plasma acylcarnitine level of the obese group was found to be $11.7{\mu}g/ml$, which was higher than that of normal group ($8.0{\mu}g/ml$). Statistically significant differences in plasma fatty acid level were not observed between the two groups. Other clinical parameters for the obese group were within normal ranges but AST and ALT levels were slightly elevated compared to normal group. The obese group showed elevated plasma acylcarnitine level.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.1-5
• /
• 2016

This study investigated the effects of L-carnitine (LC) and nicotinic acid (NA) on sperm viability during liquid storage at $18^{\circ}C$ in miniature pigs. $10{\mu}M$ LC and 30 mM NA, combined LC and NA (LN) were treated in fresh semen for 3, 7, and 10 days. In results, sperm survival increased in NA- and LN-treated semen on 7 and 10 days (p<0.05), mitochondrial integrity of live sperm increased in LN-treated semen on 7 days (p<0.05), but not NA-treated semen. In addition, we examined the acrosome reaction of sperm in miniature pigs. LC and NA did not influence on acrosome reaction of boar sperm. In conclusion, LC and NA effectively maintained the viability and quality of sperm during long-term storage in miniature pigs, suggesting that the combined LN may be useful for improving the semen extender for long-term liquid storage in pigs.

• Nutritional Sciences
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.179-189
• /
• 2006

Objective: We investigated the efficacy of a 12-week supplementation of soy isoflavone with L-carnitine on the development of obesity in high fat-induced obese C57BL/6J mice, which are known as a good model of diet-induced obesity. Methods: We measured body weights, adipose tissue mass, serum/liver lipid profiles and fat cell size/number in C57BL/6J mice fed diets containing either low fat (4%) or high fat (35%), or high fat supplemented with soy isoflavone powder containing 10% isoflavone and L-camitine for 12 weeks. Results: Body weight gain, abdominal adipose tissue and liver weight were lower by 31% 78% and 31.4% respectively, in mice on high fat diet containing soy isoflavone+L-carnitine (SC mixture) compared with high fat diet group. Also, SC mixture improved serum lipid profiles such as total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and liver lipid profiles such as total lipids and TG. As subsequent results, this SC mixture prevented high-fat diet from accumulating TG in the liver. The size of fat cell was also significantly decreased in SC mixture fed mice. At the end point of this experiment, our results showed that feeding with soy isoflavone for 12 weeks finally increased camitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT 1) activity through elevating the level of CPT1 expression. Conclusions: This study suggests that long-tenn supplementation with dietary soy isoflavone and L-carnitine is more synergistically beneficial for the suppression of high-fat diet induced obesity by inhibiting liver TG accumulation and the gain in abdominal adipose tissue weight than that with soy isoflavone. The antiobesity effects of SC mixture might be attributed, at least in part, to the induction of fatty acid catabolism by soy isoflavone, genistein.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.48 no.4
• /
• pp.316-321
• /
• 2021

Objective: Amino acids can protect sperm structure in cryopreservation due to their antioxidant properties. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of L-carnitine (LC) and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) on motility parameters, plasma membrane integrity (PMI), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), DNA damage, and human sperm intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) during vitrification. Methods: Twenty normal human sperm samples were examined. Each sample was divided into six equal groups: LC (1 and 10 mM), NAC (5 and 10 mM), and cryopreserved and fresh control groups. Results: The groups treated with LC and NAC showed favorable findings in terms of motility parameters, DNA damage, and MMP. Significantly higher levels of intracellular ROS were observed in all cryopreserved groups than in the fresh group (p≤0.05). The presence of LC and NAC at both concentrations caused an increase in PMI, MMP, and progressive motility parameters, as well as a significant reduction in intracellular ROS compared to the control group (p≤0.05). The concentrations of the amino acids did not show any significant effect. Conclusion: LC and NAC are promising as potential additives in sperm cryopreservation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.194-203
• /
• 2005

This study was peformed to investigate effect of feeding experimental mixture containing chitosan, hibiscus extract and L-carnitine on body weight and lipid metabolism in rats. Forty-eight male rats(Charles River CD) of eight weeks old and weighing $336.5{\pm}2.3g$ were raised for five weeks with high fat diet(40% fat as calorie) to induce obesity. After induction of obesity, rats weighing $560.4{\pm}5.6g$ were blocked into four groups according to body weight and raised for eight weeks with diet containing either 0.09%(+1D group), 0.9%(+10D group) or 4.5%(+50D group) of experimental mixture. Aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT), total protein and albumin were normal levels in plasma. Body weight gain and epididymal fat pad weight were lower in experimental mixture groups than control group However, weights of perirenal fat pad and brown adipose tissue were not significantly different among all groups. There was no significant difference in plasma and hepatic lipid levels among all groups. Liver citrate lyase and camitine acyltransferase activities were not significantly different among all groups, however, citrate lyase activity was tended to be decreased with increasing experimental mixture level in diet. Fecal total lipid and total cholesterol excretions were highest in +50D group, and triglyceride excretion was highest in +1D group. in conclusion, intake of experimental mixture containing chitosan, hibiscus extract and L-camitine was effective in reducing body weight and body fat, and its inhibitory effects might lead to obesity improvement.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.257-264
• /
• 2003

Carnitine, hydroxycitric acid, and soy peptide have been known to be anti-obesity agents. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the combined effects of carnitine, hydroxycitric acid, and soy peptide mixture as a potential anti-obesity supplement in overweight women. Overweight premenopausal women (n=33; PIBW>110; 20 to 39 years) were randomized into two groups: the placebo group and the functional beverage group (the test group). Functional beverage was composed of 2000 mg soy peptide, 20 mg L-carnitine and 300 mg garcinia(40% hydroxycitric acid). Body weight and 3 day food dimes, biochemical measurements and computerized tomography were measured at baseline and 8-week. After 8-week consumption of functional beverage with usual diet and exercise, body weight fell an average of 1.4 kg (2.1%). Visceral fat area reduced an average of 7.8% at L1($69.6{\pm}8.7\;vs\;64.2{\pm}7.5\;\textrm{cm}^2$) and 5.1% ($60.7{\pm}4.9\;vs\;57.6{\pm}4.8\;\textrm{cm}^2$, p<0.05) at L4level after weight loss in the test group. Calf fat area in the test group showed about 10% reduction ($31.0{\pm}2.7\;vs=\;27.7{\pm}1.7\;\textrm{cm}^2$, p<0.05) after weight loss. These reductions in fat areas were not shown in the placebo group. There were tendencies of increase in serum levels of $\beta-hydroxybutyrate$, acetoacetate, and total ketones in the test group. There were 7% and 17% insignificant increase in fasting free fatty acid (FFA) and response area of FFA during oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT), respectively, in this group. ill addition, little weight loss in the test group showed 8% but not significant reduction in insulin response area during OGTT. In conclusion, this study shows that taking a mixture of carnitine, hydroxycitric acid, and soy peptide as a potential anti-obesity supplement for 8-week produced advantageous changes in the weight and visceral fat accumulation of overweight women.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.285-290
• /
• 2001

Bioequivalence of two acetyl-1-carnitine tablets, test product (Carnitile tablet: Hanmi Pharm. Co., Ltd.) and reference product (Nicetil $e^{R}$ tablet: Dong-A Pharm. Co., Ltd.), was evaluated according to the guide- lines of Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). Twenty-six healthy volunteers were divided randomly into two groups and administered the drug orally at the dose of 500 mg as acetyl-1-carnitine in a 2$\times$2 crossover study. Blood samples were taken at predetermined time intervals for 12 hours and the plasma concentration of acetyl-1-carnitine was determined using HPLC by derivatization with p-bromophenacyl bromide. The pearmacokinetic parameters (AU $C_{0-}$12h/ $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$) were calculated and ANOVA was utilized for the statistical analysis of parameters. The apparent differences of these parameters between two drugs were less than 20% (i.e., 1.26,-5.08 and 8.59% for AU $C_{0-}$12h/ $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$, respectively). The powers (1-$\beta$) for AU $C_{0-}$12h/ $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$, and Tmax were over 0.9. Minimal detectable difference ($\Delta$) at $\alpha$=0.05, 1-$\beta$=0.8 were less than 20% (i.e.,7.31, 14.88 and 11.77% for AU $C_{0-}$12h/ $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$, respectively). The confidence intervals ($\delta$) for these parameters were also within $\pm$ 20% (i.e.,-3.03$\leq$$\delta$$\leq$5.54, -13.80$\leq$$\delta$$\leq$3.64 and 1.69$\leq$$\delta$$\leq$15.48 for AU $C_{0-}$12h/ $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$, respectively). These results satisfied the criteria of KFDA guideline for bioequivalence, indicating Carnitile bioequivalent to Nicetil $e^{R}$ .TEX>$^{R}$ .> R/ . R/ .