Carnitine
Systematic name	(3R)-3-hydroxy-4-trimethylammonio- butanoate, inner salt
Chemical formula	C7H15NO3
Molecular mass	162.207 g mol-1
Isoelectric point	?
CAS number	461-06-3
PubChem	10918
Complete data

Carnitine, also known as L-carnitine (levocarnitine) is an amino acid responsible for transport of fatty acids into a cell's mitochondria. It is often sold as a nutritional supplement. Originally found as a growth factor for mealworms and labled Vitamin Bt. Natural carnitine is the L-stereoisomer. It can be synthesised within the body from the amino acids lysine or methionine. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is essential to the synthesis of carnitine. It has been speculated that during growth or pregnancy the requirement of carnitine could exceed its natural production. Image File history File links Height_setter. ... Image File history File links Carnitine. ... IUPAC nomenclature is a system of naming chemical compounds and of describing the science of chemistry in general. ... A chemical formula (also called molecular formula) is a concise way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound. ... General Name, Symbol, Number carbon, C, 6 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 14, 2, p Appearance black (graphite) colorless (diamond) Atomic mass 12. ... General Name, Symbol, Number hydrogen, H, 1 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 1, 1, s Appearance colorless Atomic mass 1. ... General Name, Symbol, Number nitrogen, N, 7 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 15, 2, p Appearance colorless Atomic mass 14. ... General Name, Symbol, Number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series Nonmetals, chalcogens Group, Period, Block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless Atomic mass 15. ... The molecular mass (abbreviated MM) of a substance, called molecular weight and abbreviated as MW, is the mass of one molecule of that substance, relative to the unified atomic mass unit u (equal to 1/12 the mass of one atom of carbon-12). ... The isoelectric point sucks (pI) is the pH at which a molecule carries no net electrical charge. ... CAS registry numbers are unique numerical identifiers for chemical compounds, polymers, biological sequences, mixtures and alloys. ... PubChem is a database of chemical molecules . ... Levocarnitine is a aminoacid derivate, Chemically, levocarnitine is the L-isomer of carnitine Levocarnitine is an essential co-factor for the metabolism of fatty acids. ... In chemistry, an amino acid is any molecule that contains both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. ... In chemistry, especially biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid (or organic acid), often with a long aliphatic tail (long chains), either saturated or unsaturated. ... Cells in culture, stained for keratin (red) and DNA (green). ... In cell biology, a mitochondrion is an organelle found in the cells of most eukaryotes. ... In the United States, a dietary supplement is defined under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 as a product taken by the mouth that contains a dietary ingredient that is intended as a supplement to the diet. ... Stereoisomerism is the arrangement of atoms in molecules whose connectivity remains the same but their arrangement in space is different in each isomer. ... Lysine is one of the 20 amino acids normally found in proteins. ... Methionine (Met, M. C5H11NO2S) is an essential nonpolar amino acid, and a lipotropic. ... Chemical structure of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient essential for life, used by the human body for many purposes. ... This article deals with the molecular aspects of ascorbic acid. ... Growth can refer to: Auxology Bacterial growth Cell growth Economic growth For financial growth due to simple interest or compound interest see Interest Exponential growth Fungal growth Logistic growth Growth hormone Personal growth Population growth Tumours can sometimes be referred to as a growth This is a disambiguation page: a... For a broader view of pregnancy in mammals see mammalian pregnancy. ...

Role in fatty acid metabolism

Fatty acids must be activated before they can be carried into the mitochondria, where fatty acid oxidation occurs. This process occurs in two steps: In cell biology, a mitochondrion is an organelle found in the cells of most eukaryotes. ...

The formula for the above is:
RCOO^- + CoA + ATP + H₂O → RCO-CoA + AMP + PP_i + 2H⁺
This reaction is reversible and its equilibrium lies near 1. However, pyrophosphate is hydrolized by a pyrophosphatase, which drives the reaction forward, and to completion. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... In chemistry, pyrophosphate, or PPi is an anion observed in living systems, usually formed by the hydrolysis of ATP into AMP. The hydrolysis is called pyrophosphorolysis. ...

Once activated, the acyl CoA is transported into the mitochondrial matrix. This occurs via a series of similar steps: An acyl or acyl group is any radical (or functional group) obtained from an carboxylic acid by the removal of the carboxylic hydroxyl group. ... Categories: Biochemistry stubs | Thiols ... In biology, the word matrix is used for the material between animal or plant cells, or generally the material (or tissue) in which more specialized structures are embedded, and also specifically for one part of the mitochondrion. ...

1. Acyl CoA is conjugated to carnitine by carnitine acyltransferase I located on the outer mitochondrial membrane
2. Acyl carnitine is shuttled inside by a translocase
3. Acyl carnitine is converted to acyl CoA by carnitine acyltransferase II located on the inner mitochondrial membrane

It is important to note that carnitine acyltransferase I undergoes allosteric inhibition as a result of malonyl CoA, an intermediate in fatty acid biosynthesis. In biochemistry, an enzyme or other protein is allosteric if its activity or efficiency changes in response to the binding of an effector molecule at a so-called allosteric site. ...

Natural sources

The best source of natural carnitine is in red meat and dairy products. Other natural sources of Carnitine include nuts and seeds (e.g pumpkin, sunflower, sesame), legumes or pulses (beans, peas, lentils, peanuts), vegetables (artichokes, asparagus, beet greens, broccoli, brussels sprouts, collard greens, garlic, mustard greens, okra, parsley), fruits (apricots, bananas), cereals (buckwheat, corn, millet, oatmeal, rice bran, rye, whole wheat, wheat bran, wheat germ) and other 'health' foods (bee pollen, brewer's yeast, carob, kale). Hazelnuts from the Common Hazel Chestnut // Botanical definition A nut in botany is a simple dry fruit with one seed (rarely two) in which the ovary wall becomes very hard (stony or woody) at maturity, and where the seed remains unattached or unfused with the ovary wall. ... A ripe red jalapeno cut open to show the seeds For other uses, see Seed (disambiguation). ... Varieties of soybean seeds, a popular legume Pea pods The term legume has two closely related meanings in botany, a situation encountered with many botanical common names of useful plants, whereby an applied name can refer to either the plant itself, or to the edible fruit (or useful part). ... Pulses are defined by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as annual leguminous crops yielding from one to twelve grains or seeds of variable size, shape and color within a pod. ... Green beans Bean is a common name for large plant seeds of several genera of Fabaceae (formerly Leguminosae) used for food or feed. ... Binomial name Pisum sativum L. A pea is the small, edible round green bean which grows in a pod on the leguminous vine Pisum sativum. ... Binomial name Lens culinaris Medikus The lentil (Lens culinaris) is a bushy annual plant of the legume family, grown for its lens-shaped seeds. ... Binomial name Arachis hypogaea L. The peanut or groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) is a species in the pea family Fabaceae native to South America. ... Vegetables in a market Tomatoes growing in a vegetable garden Venn diagram representing the relationship between fruits and vegetables For other uses, see Vegetable (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Cynara scolymus L. The Globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus) is a perennial, thistle-like plant, originating in southern Europe around the Mediterranean. ... Binomial name Asparagus officinalis L. Asparagus are a type of cow meat obtained from one species within the genus Asparagus, specifically the young shoots of Asparagus officinalis. ... Binomial name Beta vulgaris L. The Beet (Beta vulgaris) is a flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae, native to the coasts of western and southern Europe, from southern Sweden and the British Isles south to the Mediterranean Sea. ... Cultivar Group Brassica oleraceaItalica Group For other uses, see Broccoli (disambiguation). ... Cultivar Group Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group The Brussels sprout (Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group) is a cultivar group of cabbage cultivated for its small (typically 2. ... Cultivar Group Brassica oleracea Acephala Group Collard greens (also called collards or borekale) are a group of loose-leafed cultivars of Brassica oleracea Acephala Group, grown for their large, dark-colored greens and as a garden ornamental, mainly in Brazil, Portugal, the Southern United States, and in many parts of... Binomial name Allium sativum L. Garlic (Allium sativum) is a perennial plant in the family Alliaceae and genus Allium, closely related to the onion, shallot, and leek. ... Species See text The mustards are several plant species in the genus Brassica whose proverbially tiny mustard seeds are used as a spice and, by grinding and mixing them with water, vinegar or other liquids, are turned into a condiment also known as mustard. ... Binomial name Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench Okra, also called ladys finger in Indian cuisine, is a flowering plant in the mallow family Malvaceae, originating somewhere near present-day Ethiopia. ... Species Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a bright green, biennial herb that is very common in Middle Eastern, European, and American cooking. ... Fruit stall in Barcelona, Catalonia. ... Binomial name Prunus armeniaca L. The Apricot (Prunus armeniaca, syn. ... Species Hybrid origin; see text If you are trying to do some sort of homework and you use this sight for a source. ... Cereal crops are mostly grasses cultivated for their edible seeds (actually a fruit called a caryopsis). ... Binomial name Fagopyrum esculentum Common Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is a plant in the genus Fagopyrum (sometimes merged into genus Polygonum) in the family Polygonaceae. ... Binomial name Zea mays L. Maize (Zea mays ssp. ... Pearl millet in the field Ripe head of proso millet The millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. ... Oatmeal is a product made by processing oats. ... Bran is the hard outer layer of cereal grains, and consists of combined aleurone and pericarp. ... Binomial name Secale cereale M.Bieb. ... For the 1970s rock and roll band, see Bread (band). ... Bran is the hard outer layer of cereal grains, and consists of combined aleurone and pericarp. ... Wheat germ is the heart of the wheat kernel - a concentrated source of several essential nutrients including Vitamin E, folate (folic acid), phosphorus, thiamin, zinc and magnesium. ... SEM image of pollen grains from a variety of common plants: sunflower (Helianthus annuus), morning glory (Ipomea purpurea),hollyhock (Sildalcea malviflora), lily (Lilium auratum), primrose(Oenothera fruticosa), and castor bean (Ricinus communis). ... Brewers yeast (also known as brewers yeast or brewing yeast) can mean any live yeast used in brewing. ... Carob trees near Mehmetcik, Northern Cyprus Carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua) is a species native to the Mediterranean region, cultivated for its edible seed pods. ... Curly kale Kale is a form of cabbage (Brassica oleracea Acephala Group) in which the central leaves do not form a head. ...

Acetyl-L-carnitine

section references: ^[1]

Acetylcarnitine

Acetyl-L-carnitine or ALCAR, is an acetylated form of L-carnitine. ALCAR is far superior to normal L-carnitine in terms of bioavailability in that it is absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract, enters cells and crosses the blood-brain barrier more readily than unacetylated carnitine. Image File history File links Acetylcarnitine. ... Image File history File links Acetylcarnitine. ... Acetyl is the radical of acetic acid. ... In pharmacology, bioavailability is used to describe the fraction of an administered dose of medication that reaches the systemic circulation, one of the principal pharmacokinetic properties of drugs. ... The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a membrane that controls the passage of substances from the blood into the central nervous system. ...

ALCAR has a broad range of uses including combination with alpha lipoic acid to comprise a patented formulation that has been evidenced to "rejuvenate" the mitochondria of aging mice in studies conducted by Bruce Ames and others. Accordingly, acetyl-L-carnitine has potential as a life extension supplement probably capable of improving the quality and possibily also extending the average life-span of humans. Other attributed uses for ALCAR include using it as a treatment for depression (250 mg per day for several weeks) and for clearing plaque/fatty deposits out of the veins and arteries. Lipoic acid is the trivial name for 6,8-dithiooctanoic acid, ( HSCH2CH2CH(SH)C4H8COOH ) which is regarded as a coenzyme in the oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex of the citric acid cycle. ... In cell biology, a mitochondrion is an organelle found in the cells of most eukaryotes. ... Bruce Ames is a professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, and a senior scientist at Childrens Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI). ... Life extension refers to an increase in maximum lifespan or average lifespan, especially in mammals. ...

See also

• Primary carnitine deficiency

Primary carnitine deficiency is a condition that prevents the body from using fats for energy, particularly during periods without food. ...

External links

• L-Carnitine FAQ
• Molecule of the Month
• Acetyl L-carnitine profile

References

1. ↑  Best, Ben (May 24, 2005). "Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR)" Verified availability August 2, 2005.