Dufour F, Nalecz K A, Nalecz M J, Nehlig A
INSERM U 398, Faculté de Médecine, 11 rue Humann, 67085, Strasbourg Cédex, France.
Brain Res. 1999 Jan 9;815(2):400-4. doi: 10.1016/s0006-8993(98)01188-3.
Branched-chain amino acids, and mainly leucine act as nitrogen donors in the cerebral glutamate-glutamine cycle, thereby reducing brain excitability. Rats equipped with cortical electrodes received 300 mg/kg of leucine, isoleucine, valine or the ketoacid of leucine, alpha-ketoisocaproate at 2 h before the induction of seizures by 40 mg/kg pentylenetetrazol. Control groups received saline or a commercial mixture of amino acids, Vamine(R). Leucine and isoleucine increased the latency to absence-like and tonic-clonic seizures but did not influence the duration of the tonic-clonic seizure. Vamine(R), valine and alpha-ketoisocaproate had no effect. These data are consistent with the role of leucine in buffering brain glutamate concentration.
