L-Carnosine is a dipeptide composed of β-alanine and L-histidine that has been found in rat olfactory bulb, skeletal muscle, brain, kidney, and spleen tissues, as well as human skeletal muscle, and has diverse biological activities.1 It is a metal chelator that forms complexes with copper, cobalt, nickel, cadmium, or zinc. Dietary administration of L-carnosine (60 mg/kg per day) reduces plasma levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in diabetic rats.2 It reduces brain edema, blood-brain barrier disruption, microglial activation, and neuronal apoptosis in a rat model of intracerebral hemorrhage when administered at a dose of 1,000 mg/kg.3 L-Carnosine (250, 500, and 1,000 mg/kg, i.p.) reduces hepatic protein carbonylation and necrosis in a rat model of cirrhosis induced by bile duct ligation.4 It also reduces lung myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and TNF-α and IL-6 levels, as well as alveolar hemorrhage, interstitial edema, and pulmonary leukocyte infiltration in a mouse model of LPS-induced lung injury.5
1.Boldyrev, A.A., Aldini, G., and Derave, W.Physiology and pathophysiology of carnosinePhysiol. Rev.93(4)1803-1845(2013) 2.Ghodsi, R., and Kheirouri, S.Carnosine and advanced glycation end products: A systematic reviewAmino Acids50(9)1177-1186(2018) 3.Xie, R.-x., Li, D.-w., Liu, X.-c., et al.Carnosine attenuates brain oxidative stress and apoptosis after intracerebral hemorrhage in ratsNeurochem. Res.42(2)541-551(2017) 4.Jamshidzadeh, A., Heidari, R., Latifpour, Z., et al.Carnosine ameliorates liver fibrosis and hyperammonemia in cirrhotic ratsClin. Res. Hepatol. Gastroenterol.41(4)424-434(2017) 5.Tanaka, K.I., Sugizaki, T., Kanada, Y., et al.Preventive effects of carnosine on lipopolysaccharide-induced lung injurySci. Rep.7:42813(2017)