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- Prescription medicine: tryptophan puree will eliminate the need to drink antidepressants
Prescription medicine: tryptophan puree will eliminate the need to drink antidepressants
Russian researchers have developed a vegetable and berry puree that will support the functioning of the nervous system under stress. Thanks to the tryptophan and antioxidants in its composition, it can help patients avoid depression and eliminate the need to drink antidepressants. Taking them may be associated with dangerous side effects that the new product does not have. However, it is safe even for people with a genetic predisposition to mental illness. The effectiveness of the development has so far been confirmed only in experiments on mice. Before launching on the market, it is necessary to conduct research with the participation of volunteers and determine the legal status of the new product.
Nutritional prevention of depression
Scientists from the V.M. Gorbatov Federal Research Center for Food Systems of the Russian Academy of Sciences have developed a puree with tryptophan and antioxidants, which is intended for the prevention of mental pathologies. The side effects of antidepressants are sometimes more noticeable than the therapeutic effect, so experts are looking for other ways to support the nervous system and prevent a person from going from a state of stress to a state of depression.
— The main thing that we have achieved is a working food matrix: a berry—vegetable base in which tryptophan remains active during heat treatment. Then it can be customized according to the consumer's request, and this is just the next stage. Ahead is the development of experimental batches and industrial approbation, the development of technical documentation, toxicological assessment, clinical trials on volunteers, followed by state registration and confirmation of the declared properties according to the requirements for functional products," said Anastasia Kibitkina, a junior researcher at the Experimental Clinic Laboratory of Biologically Active Substances of Animal Origin at the V.M. Gorbatov Federal Research Center for Food Systems.
According to the developers, there are no direct analogues of mashed potatoes or smoothies with tryptophan on the Russian market yet. The closest products to them are functional drinks and dietary supplements, the effectiveness of which has not been confirmed.
— We assume that with regular consumption of mashed potatoes, a person will be able to maintain a more stable emotional state, easier to cope with everyday stress and notice an improvement in concentration. At the same time, it should not cause sharp subjective sensations: the goal of the product is to gently support the body through nutrition," Anastasia Kibitkina explained.
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid involved in the synthesis of serotonin and melatonin. To study the effect of the substance, experts conducted a series of experiments on male and female mice. They found that with the normal functioning of the TPH2 gene, responsible for the synthesis of serotonin, the use of pure tryptophan does not cause serious side effects in animals of both sexes. When this gene is disrupted in males, however, a process is triggered that leads to fatty liver infiltration. No such effect was observed in females with the altered gene.
To increase the safety of tryptophan for the most vulnerable group, the experts added antioxidants to it and conducted additional experiments on male mice. The scientists assessed their behavior, memory, anxiety levels, and motor activity, as well as blood chemistry, liver health, gene expression, and hormone levels.
— In male mice with impaired serotonin synthesis, pure tryptophan passed into the kynurenine pathway, one of the ways of amino acid breakdown, and caused fatty liver infiltration. The addition of taxifoline to the amino acid reduced this effect by up to 90%," Anastasia Kibitkina explained.
From mashed potatoes research to product
Based on the data obtained, the scientists have developed two experimental products. The first one contained taxifolin, an antioxidant obtained from larch. It improved memory in both wild-type mice and animals with the altered gene. In the latter, the product also reduced cortisol levels by 31.3%. The second option with ginseng proved to be more effective for healthy mice: it increased their motor activity by 86%, and the concentration of serotonin in the brain by 45.2%. In some animals, this product also doubled the level of white blood cells and granulocytes, cells of the immune system.
The results show that the effect of the product may depend on the genotype and sex of the animals. During the experiments, the scientists also evaluated the taste properties of the product. In addition to tryptophan and antioxidants, the puree contains carrots, apples and bananas. The tryptophan content in the developed purees is 0.40 g per 100 g, which covers one third of the daily physiological needs of an adult.
According to the developers, if further tests confirm the safety and effectiveness of the puree, the choice of an antioxidant in its composition is planned to be carried out taking into account the human metabolic profile.
It's more about a new product form than a fundamentally new approach to mental health support. It is important for people who are prone to depressive states to be monitored by a psychotherapist or psychiatrist in order to start treatment in a timely manner, explained Ekaterina Sobornikova, Candidate of Medical Sciences, associate Professor, psychotherapist of the highest category. It will be possible to evaluate the interaction of puree with antidepressants and its effect on the mental state of different groups of people only after completing the research.
— The strong side of the work is that the authors took into account the possible risks. The antioxidants in the composition reduce the toxicity of excess tryptophan, and this has been confirmed even in experiments on animals with genetic disorders of serotonin production. However, all the data obtained so far are limited to studies on mice," said Maxim Sychev, a family doctor and NTI expert.
It will be possible to judge the effectiveness of the product for humans and the possibility of its use instead of standard therapy only after clinical trials. Then it is necessary to determine the appropriate dosages and assess the safety of long-term use, the specialist emphasized.
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