• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.235-241
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• 2007

The aim of this study was to define an arginine effect when added to a diet. The influence of arginine supplements on bone mineral density and content were studied in young female Sprague-Dawley rats fed either an arginine supplemented diet or control diet. Twenty four rats (body weight $83{\pm}5g$) were randomly assigned to one of two groups, consuming casein or casein with supplemented arginine diet. All rats were fed on experimental diet and deionized water ad libitum for 9 weeks. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) were measured using PIXImus (GE Lunar Co, Wisconsin, USA) in spine and femur 3, 6, and 9 weeks after feeding. The serum and urine concentrations of Ca and P were determined. Diet did not affect weight gain and mean food intake. The serum concentration of Ca and P were not changed by arginine supplementation. Urinary Ca excretion was significantly decreased by arginine supplementation. Spine BMD was significantly increased by arginine supplementation on 3 and 6 weeks after feeding. Femur BMD was significantly increased in the group of arginine supplementation on 3, 6, and 9 weeks. Rats fed the arginine-supplemented diet had better bone mineral content than did control diet rats in the experimental period. Therefore, arginine supplementation may be beneficial on spine and femur BMD increment in growing female rats. These are thought to be associated with an arginine-induced growth hormone release. The exact mechanism of this effect remains to be elucidated.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.320-326
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• 2007

An important related question is whether arginine has influence bone metabolism. The effect of arginine supplements on bone markers and related hormones were studied in young female Sprague-Dawley rats fed either an arginine supplemented diet or control diet. Twenty four rats (body weight 83${\pm}$5 g) were randomly assigned to one of two groups, consuming casein or casein with supplemented arginine diet. All rats were fed on experimental diet and deionized water ad libitum for 9 weeks. Bone formation was measured by serum osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) concentrations. And bone resorption rate was measured by deoxypyridinoline (DPD) crosslinks immunoassay and corrected for creatinine. Serum osteocalcin, growth hormone, estrogen, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitonin were analyzed using radioimmunoassay kits. The weight gain and mean food intake were not affected regardless of diets. The rats fed arginine-supplemented diet had not significantly different in ALP, osteocalcin, crosslinks value, PTH, estradiol, and IGF-1 compared to those fed casein diet group. The arginine-supplemented group had significantly higher growth hormone and calcitonin than casein group. This study suggests that arginine is beneficial for bone formation in growing female rats. Therefore exposure to diet which rich in arginine early in life may have benefits for bone formation and osteoporosis prevention.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.309-317
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• 2009

As far as we know, there were no studies of the effect of L-arginine on bone metabolism in post-menopausal women or ovariectomized rats. The primary objective of the current study was to determine whether arginine supplementation was associated with alterations in femoral and spinal bone mineral density (BMD) and bone markers in ovariectomized (Ovx) rats. Forty female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups, Ovx and sham groups, which were each randomly divided into two subgroups that were fed control and arginine supplemented diet. All rats were fed on experimental diet and deionized water ad libitum for 9 weeks. Bone formation was measured by serum osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) concentrations. Bone resorption was measured by deoxypyridinoline (DPD) crosslinks immunoassay and corrected for creatinine. Serum osteocalcin, growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitonin were analyzed using radioimmunoassay kits. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) were measured using PIXImus (GE Lunar Co, Wisconsin, USA) in spine and femur. The serum and urine concentrations of Ca and P were determined. The plasma was analyzed for arginine. Diet did not affect weight gain, mean food intake, and plasma arginine concentration. Urinary Ca excretion was decreased by arginine supplementation in Ovx rats, but statistically not significant. The Ovx rats fed arginine-supplemented diet were not significantly different in ALP, osteocalcin, crosslinks value, PTH, calcitonin and IGF-1 compared to those fed control diet. The arginine-supplemented group had significantly higher serum Ca and growth hormone than control group. Spine and femur BMD were significantly increased by arginine supplementation on 5th and 9th weeks after feeding. Our findings indicate that dietary L-arginine supplementation decreased bone mineral density loss in Ovx rats. Therefore, dietary arginine supplementation may represent a potentially useful strategy for the management of osteoporosis.

• Food Quality and Culture
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.89-96
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• 2008

In order to determine whether green tea tannin ameliorates abnormal arginine metabolism as the result of excessive arginine, we have assessed the effects of the administration of green tea tannin mixture in rats treated 30 days with 2% arginine. In the arginine-treated group, the level of guanidino compounds such as arginine (Arg), guanidinoacetic acid (GAA), creatinine (Cr), methylguanidine (MG) and guanidinosuccinic acid (GSA), nitric oxide, urea, protein and glucose increased significantly in the serum, urine and kidney, whereas the oxygen species-scavenging enzymes of kidney were reduced as compared with the non-arginine-treated group. By way of contrast, the administration of green tea tannin reduced blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine, and reduced the urinary excretion of guanidinoacetic acid, creatinine, and $NO_2^-+NO_3^-$. The increased levels of urinary urea, protein and glucose in the arginine-treated group were also lowered by the administration of green tea tannin. In these groups, the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the kidney were increased, thereby suggesting the involvement of radicals in the normalizing of kidney function. These results show that the abnormal renal function induced by the adminstration of excessive arginine in rats may be restored by treatment with green tea tannin.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.7-16
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• 1989

To determine the effect of sodium plus potassium to chloride ratio and lysine level on blood pH, blood acid-base parameters, lysine-arginine antagonism and growth performance, four hundred and thirty two chicks of 3 days age were used in a completely randomized $3{\times}3$ factorial experiment. Variables contained three levels of lysine (0.8, 1.2 and 1.6%) and dietary electrolyte (100, 200 and 300 mEq/kg). Birds fed 200 mEq/kg and electrolyte had the best growth rate and feed efficiency, followed by those fed 300 mEq/kg and 100 mEq/kg electrolyte. It is proposed that high levels of dietary electrolyte may improve the growth of chicks fed diets containing excess lysine by increasing lysine catabolism. High or low levels of lysine and dietary electrolyte resulted in higher mortality than those of optimum level (1.2%) of lysine and 200 mEq/kg of electrolyte balance. When the electrolyte level was increased, the pH, $pCO_2$, base excess, $HCO_3{^-}$ and total $CO_2$ of blood plasma were increased. The utilization of nutrients was changed when the electrolyte and lysine were manipulated. Plasma chloride tended to be greater in chicks receiving high chloride diet and was the highest in chicks fed the high lysine diet. Plasma sodium and potassium were unaffected by dietary lysine. Diet containing high lysine decreased the level of arginine and excess dietary electrolyte increased arginine level in plasma. It may be concluded that cation supplementation tended to alleviate the lysine-arginine antagonism but chloride exacerbated. Tibia bone length and ash contents were significantly affected by electrolyte balance and lysine level.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.52-58
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• 1982

The effects of casein diet supplemented with excessive levels of three basic amino acidslysine, histidine and arginine - were studied in male, weanling, I. C. R. strain mice. The relationship between weight gain and concentration of blood urea nitrogen was also discussed with the follows results : 1. The groups supplemented with basic amino acids were demonstrated depressed growth and food intake than the control ($10\%$ casein diet) group, $5\%$ L-histidine HCl supplemented group being most depressed. 2. The concentration of blood urea nitrogen in the basic amino acid supplemented groups were higher than the control group. The value of L-arginine supplemented group was highest. 3. The concentration of blood urea nitrogen was related to the amounts of nitrogen contained in the diet not related to the growth gain.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.109-111
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• 1987

Three experiments were conducted to show effects of adding amino acids to a broiler starter diet (0-3 weeks of age) low in protein. A diet of 22% protein with adequate levels of all essential amino acids was used as a reference diet. Supplementing an 18% protein diet with adequate amounts or methionine and lysine significantly improved performance of chicks. However, adding excessive amounts of these amino acids was detrimental, indicating that the excess aggravated deficiency or the third amino acid. Supplemental arginine tended to alleviate this aggravating effect.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.396-402
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• 2005

Three experiments were conducted to determine the effects of dietary arginine concentrations on plasma free amino acid (PAA) concentrations in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum). The first experiment was conducted to determine appropriate post-prandial and food deprivation sampling times in dorsal aorta cannulated rainbow trout averaging 519${\pm}$9.5 g (mean${\pm}$SD) at $16^{\circ}C$. Blood samples were taken at 0, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 24 h after feeding (0 and 24 h blood samples were taken from the same group of fish). PAA concentrations increased by 2 h post-feeding and the concentration of all essential amino acids except histidine peaked at 5 h and returned to 0 time values by 24 h. In the second experiment dorsal aorta cannulated rainbow trout averaging 528${\pm}$11.3 g (mean${\pm}$SD) were divided into 6 groups of 4 fish to study the effect of dietary arginine levels on PAA. After 24 h food deprivation, each group of fish was fed one of six L-amino acid diets containing graded levels of arginine (0.48, 1.08, 1.38, 1.68, 1.98 or 2.58%) by intubation. Blood samples were taken at 0, 5 and 24 h after feeding. Post-prandial (5 h after feeding) plasma-free arginine concentrations (PParg) showed a breakpoint at 1.03% arginine in the diet and post-absorptive (24 h after feeding) plasma free-arginine concentrations (PAarg) showed a breakpoint at 1.38% arginine. PAarg increased linearly from fish fed diets containing arginine between 0.48% and 1.38%, and the concentrations remained constant from fish fed diets containing arginine at or above 1.38%, but were all below PParg at all time points. Results of the third experiment confirm the results that PParg concentrations from fish fed arginine deficient diets were higher than PAarg (0 or 24 h values). Thus, in contrast to mammals and birds, the PParg when arginine is present in the diet as the most limiting amino acid such that it severely limits growth, increases in plasma rather than decreases.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.43-54
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• 1995

Effects of dietary protein sources and their amino acid compositions on the liver and plasma cholesterol levels in growing Single Comb white Leghorn male chicks were studied. A diet containing isolated soy protein (21% cp) was supplemented with 0.5% DL-methionine and 0.3% L-glycine. and another diet containing casein(21% cp) was supplemented with 1.5% L-arginine HCl, 0.4% DL-methionine. and 1.0% L-glycine. Plasma cholesterol level was markedly lower in groups force-fed the diets containing either soy protein or casein supplemented with amino acids compared to those found in birds fed corresponding diets without amino acids supplementation. The cholesterol lowering effect of the casein diet. when balanced with various supplemental amino acids appeared to be due to arginine instead of methionine or glycine. It is likely that amino acid balance rather than the composition of a specific amino acid is one of the major factors determining the effect of dietary protein sources on the blood cholesterol levels in chicks.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1667-1675
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• 2009

This study was conducted to determine whether L-arginine (Arg) supplementation could improve intestinal function in weaned pigs after an Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. Treatments included: i) non-challenged control (CONTR, pigs fed a control diet and injected with sterile saline); ii) LPS-challenged control (LPS, pigs fed the same control diet and challenged by injection with Escherichia coli LPS); iii) LPS+0.5% Arg (pigs fed a 0.5% Arg diet and challenged with LPS); and iv) LPS+1.0% Arg (pigs fed a 1.0% Arg diet and challenged with LPS). On d 16, pigs were administrated with LPS or sterile saline. D-xylose was orally administrated at 2 h following LPS challenge, and blood samples were collected at 3 h following LPS challenge. At 6 h post-challenge, pigs were sacrificed and intestinal mucosa samples were collected. Supplementation of Arg attenuated LPS-induced damage in gut digestive and barrier functions, as indicated by an increase in ileal lactase activity, and duodenal and ileal diamine oxidase activities (p<0.05). Arg administration also prevented the increase of jejunal malondialdehyde content and the decrease of ileal superoxide dismutase activity by LPS challenge (p<0.05). Furthermore, the jejunal nitric oxide level and inducible nitric oxide synthase activity were also improved after Arg supplementation (p<0.05). These results indicate that Arg supplementation has beneficial effects in alleviating the impairment of gut function induced by LPS challenge.