L-Glutamic acid monosodium salt is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, found naturally in tomatoes, cheese and other foods. L-Glutamic acid monosodium salt acts as an excitatory transmitter and an agonist at all subtypes of glutamate receptors (metabotropic, kainate, NMDA, and AMPA). (S)-Glutamic acid shows a direct activating effect on the release of DA from dopaminergic terminals.
Monosodium glutamate(MSG) induces apoptosis in human B cells. It has a more potent apoptotic effect in na?ve B cells compared to memory B cell population[3]. Low doses of L-monosodium glutamate promote neuronal growth and differentiation in vitro[4].
Daily monosodium glutamate(MSG) dietary consumption reduces pancreatic β-cell mass and enhances hemorrhages and fibrosis, but does not affect glucose homeostasis. High dietary MSG intake may exert a negative effect on the pancreas and such effect might become functionally significant in the presence or susceptibility to diabetes or NaCl. Parenteral MSG causes various changes in pancreatic islets such as hypertrophy, hyperplasia, decrease in acinar cells, α-cells and somatostatin cells and increase in fibrosis[1]. MSG may have some deleterious effects on the testes of Wistar rats and by extension may contribute to the causes of male infertility[2].
[1] Boonnate P, et al. PLoS One. 2015, 10(6):e0131595. [2] Aisha D. Alalwani. Middle East Fertility Society Journal. 2014, 19(4):274-280. [3] Jovic Z, et al. Bratisl Lek Listy. 2009, 110(10):636-40.