Amino Acids and Amines 2

Question 1

What Amines do Nettles have?

Answer 1

Nettle leaves have hairs which contain histamine, serotonin and acetylcholine alongside formic acid mentioned previously.

Hollow hairs, breaks off when touch, and injects mix into the body. Formic acid etc but also histamine is an inflammatory mediator; serotonin and acetylcholine are neurotransmitters.

Topical application of nettle leaves have been used for years, for sciatica, tendonitis, sprains and oesteoarthritis, to kickstart and anti-inflammatory effect in the body. If take it internally the amines won’t have an effect but likely the flavanoids etc do.

Question 2

What are Glucosinolates and which herbs contain them?

Answer 2

• Glucos (sugar) + sino (sulphur).
• AKA thioglucosides (thio also means sulphur).
• They are sulphur- and nitrogen-containing glycosides that give pungent properties to horseradish (Armoracia rusticana), nasturtium (Tropaeoleum majus), mustard and wasabi.

Anti-insectisoid properties for the plants; for humans it leads to opening of the sinuses, crying tears, antimicrobial.

Tropaeolum majus and Armoracia rusticana have been studied: A combination used in clinical trials.
* A mixture was a prophylactic treatment of chronically recurrent UTIs.
* Efficacy of the herbal combination was comparable to antibiotics in cystitis / a bladder infection.

Mustard compresses etc used for compresses for bronchial infection though mustard oils can be highly corrosive so watch out on the skin.

Glucosinolates: have various transformation products including sulforaphane, indole-3-carbinol and diindoylmethane
* Brussel sprouts (rich), broccoli and cauliflower - can reduce cancer risk
* Anticarcinogenic, immunomodulatory, promote beneficial oestrogen metabolism, stimulates detoxifying activity of phase II enzyme systems in the Liver (liver cleansing effect).
* In excess: if have too much, you find it leads to mutagenicity and carcinogenicity! So best eat it in your veggies.
* Indole-3-carbinol (which you can buy as a supplement) alters urinary oestrogen metabolites, and may be useful in treating human papilloma virus (HPV) infection.
* Thiocyanates and isothiocyanates can inhibit iodine incorporation and formation of thyroxin, not a problem in ordinary veggies, but can have an effect on the thyroid if you eat too much say cassava in Africa

Question 3

What sulphur conpounds are found in allium plants?

Answer 3

Sulphur compounds from allium plants eg garlic and leeks
* Derived from the amino acid precursors cysteine.
* Include Alliin, precursor of the antimicrobial and antifungal allicin. Alliin and its enzyme alliinase in fresh garlic are stored in different cells – allicin is released on crushing; use it immediately
* Fresh, it is antibacterial, antifungal (allicin is mainly responsible), antiamoebic, use it externally for warts too - and very good to avoid gut illness
* Cooking destroys alliinase, preventing conversion of alliin to allicin. Once allicin is formed, allicin breaks down to produce a number of more stable compounds including sulphides ajoene and vinyldithiins.

Question 4

What are ajoene and vinyldithiins?

Answer 4

If you want the antibactieral effects, fresh garlic is best, but for other benefits cooking is fine. For example, ajoene and vinyldithiins have the following:
* **Sulphides (in vivo), ** - anticancer, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antithrombotic, antibiotic, antiinflammatory, antiparasitic and modulator of hepatic enzymatic detoxification (suports Liver with detoxification).
* Ajoene: apoptosis, anticancer, antibiotic, antioxidant antithrombotic, antihypertensive.
* Vinyldithiins: antibiotic, anti aggregatory, anticancer and anticholesterolemic.
* Gamma-glutamylcysteines, another type of allicin breakdown product, are carcinostatic, antioxidant, anticancer, antihepatotoxic (not antimicrobial).

Question 5

What are Cyanogenic glycosides?

Answer 5

Cyanogenic glycosides
* Sugar moiety (the sugar molecule in a compound) and two variable (R) groups, and a nitrile group (carbon triple-bonded to nitrogen).
* They release hydrocyanic acid, which is highly toxic (eg prussic acid, cyanide).
* Amygdalin and prunasin yield benzaldehyde on hydrolysis (almond like smell).
* Linustatin in linseed and sambunigrin in elderberry

Question 6

What is hydrocyanic acid?

Answer 6

• Slowly released of the acid, it is readily detoxified, so usually not a big deal unless in large quantities. But grazing animals are more sensitivity.
• Products of detoxification processes however - rhodanide and cyanocobalamine - lead to severe diseases, especially neurotoxic syndromes.
• Again this is often linked to major consumption of inadequately prepared cassava root (tapioca) plus deficiency in sulphur amino acids can cause upper motor neuron disease (konzo) - particularly bitter cassava which has much higher levels of cyanogenic glycosides than sweet cassava

Question 7

What is Prunasin?

Answer 7

• Herbalists do use Prunasin found in Prunus serotina (Wild cherry bark): it stops coughing, it has antitussive properties.
• The small quantities from the bulk is thought to yields benzaldehyde on hydrolysis (almond like smell) but there is no evidence for this.