Preparations containing gamma aminobutyric acid. Gamma-aminobutyric acid - instructions for use

Included in the preparations

ATX:

N.03.A.G.03 Gamma-aminobutyric acid

Pharmacodynamics:Stimulates metabolism in the brain, being the main inhibitory mediator of the central nervous system. Improves blood supply and energy processes in brain cells. Increases the oxidative activity of neurons. Improves the uptake of glucose by neurons and the disposal of toxic metabolic products. Interacts with two types of GABAergic receptors - A and B. Helps restore speech and motor functions in patients who have suffered cerebrovascular accident. It has a moderate central hypotensive effect, which, however, does not affect cerebral hemoperfusion. Reduces symptoms caused by hypertension such as dizziness, insomnia and headache. In patients with diabetes mellitus, it reduces blood glucose levels. Pharmacokinetics:Absorption is fast. Low toxicity for humans. The maximum concentration of the drug in plasma is observed after 60 minutes, then quickly decreases. Eliminated from plasma within 24 hours, after this time it is not detected in blood plasma. Elimination is predominantly by the kidneys unchanged. In animal experiments, gamma-aminobutyric acid did not have the ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. Indications: Gamma-aminobutyric acid is used primarily in the treatment of senile and elderly patients - in rehabilitation after suffering a cerebrovascular accident.

Suffered brain injuries - to increase the motor and mental activity of patients.

In children with mental retardation and reduced mental activity.

With the consequences of alcoholism - alcoholic encephalopathy, polyneuritis, dementia.

Endogenous depression with a predominance of astheno-hypochondriacal phenomena and difficulty in mental activity.

V.F70-F79.F79 Mental retardation, unspecified

VI.G60-G64.G62.1 Alcoholic polyneuropathy

VI.G80-G83.G80 Cerebral palsy

XIX.S00-S09.S06 Intracranial trauma

XIX.T66-T78.T75.3 Motion sickness when moving

XIX.T90-T98.T90.5 Consequences of intracranial injury

V.F00-F09.F03 Dementia, unspecified

XVIII.R50-R69.R51 Headache

IX.I60-I69.I69 Consequences of cerebrovascular diseases

IX.I60-I69.I67.2 Cerebral atherosclerosis

IX.I10-I15.I15 Secondary hypertension

IX.I10-I15.I10 Essential [primary] hypertension

VIII.H80-H83.H81.9 Vestibular function disorder, unspecified

VI.G40-G47.G45 Transient transient cerebral ischemic attacks [attacks] and related syndromes

V.F50-F59.F51.1 Drowsiness [hypersomnia] of non-organic etiology

V.F30-F39.F34.1 Dysthymia

V.F30-F39.F32 Depressive episode

V.F10-F19.F13 Mental and behavioral disorders caused by the use of sedatives or hypnotics

V.F00-F09.F07.2 Post-concussion syndrome

VI.G90-G99.G93.4 Encephalopathy, unspecified

Contraindications:Hypersensitivity, children under 1 year of age, acute renal failure, pregnancy (first trimester) and lactation. Carefully: No data. Pregnancy and lactation:The drug is contraindicated in the first trimester of pregnancy and lactation. Use in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy is possible as prescribed by the attending physician. Directions for use and dosage:The drug is taken orally before meals, 0.25 g. Depending on the nature of the nosology, adults are prescribed 0.5-1.25 (2-5 tablets) 3 times a day. The maximum daily dose is 4 g, the maximum single dose is 1.5 g.

Use in children

Depending on age, children are prescribed 0.5-3 g per day in equal portions. The course of treatment is from 2 weeks to 6 months, depending on the severity of the disease and tolerability of the drug.

Side effects:Gamma-aminobutyric acid is very low-toxic. It is well tolerated by patients of all ages. Sometimes digestive disorders, insomnia, a feeling of heat, fluctuations in blood pressure are possible, which, however, is observed only in the first days of treatment. It is necessary to reduce the dose, after which these phenomena usually disappear quickly. Overdose: Symptoms: increased severity of side effects.

Treatment: gastric lavage, taking activated carbon, symptomatic therapy.

Interaction: Enhances the effect of benzodiazepines, many hypnotics and antiepileptic drugs. Special instructions:During the treatment period, you must be careful when driving vehicles and refrain from engaging in potentially hazardous activities that require increased concentration and speed of psychomotor reactions. Instructions

Gamma-aminobutyric acid as a medicine is considered the first nootropic drug in history. The compound is biogenic and is formed in the body, it is considered the most important inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma-aminobutyric acid is found in the central nervous system and is involved in the processes of metabolism and neuromediation of the central nervous system.

The composition of the drug includes the acid itself; additional components may include mannitol, magnesium stearate, and silicon dioxide.

Available in the form of white tablets with a yellow or gray tint. Contour blisters contain 6 or 12 tablets. Also sold in polymer jars of 30, 50 or 100 tablets.

Pharmacological group

Gamma-aminobutyric acid is a nootropic drug according to the pharmacological classification. According to the nosological classification (ICD-10), GABA refers to drugs used for:

• post-concussion syndrome;
• behavioral and mental disorders caused by long-term treatment with sedatives;
• depression;
• drowsiness;
• transient transient cerebral ischemic attacks;
• alcoholic polyneuropathy;
• cerebral palsy;
• unspecified encephalopathy;
• secondary hypertension;
• seasickness;
• intracranial injury;
• intellectual-mnestic disorders;
• vestibular dysfunction.

pharmachologic effect

Gamma-aminobutyric acid is an amine of biogenic nature that takes part in the processes of energy exchange and neuromedication of the brain.

Acid is the main mediator that takes part in inhibitory reactions by connecting to special receptor structures. Under the influence of GABA, the metabolic process in the brain is normalized - energy exchange processes are activated, and the absorption of sugars is improved.

The drug improves the supply of blood and oxygen to tissues, promotes the utilization and elimination of toxic metabolic products, and stabilizes the dynamics of nerve conduction.

When taking GABA, thought processes and memory improve. The drug is a mild psychostimulant that restores speech and motor activity impaired as a result of poor cerebral blood supply.

Reduces and stabilizes blood pressure in hypertension, relieves hypertensive symptoms - sleep disturbances, headaches and dizziness.

The use of gamma-aminobutyric acid leads to a slight decrease in heart rate, and in diabetics it affects the glycemic level, reducing it. In healthy patients with normal blood glucose concentrations, it has the opposite effect due to glycogenolysis.

In the natural environment, gamma-aminobutyric acid is found in tomatoes and other red berries.

Indications for use

Use in adults

For adults, gamma amino acid is prescribed for rehabilitation after a disruption in the blood supply to the brain, for post-traumatic syndromes. Indicated for atherosclerosis of cerebral arteries with foci of softening of brain tissue, for disorders of the cerebral vessels, in particular for arterial hypertension, accompanied by dizziness and migraines.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid is prescribed for the chronic form of cerebral vascular dysfunction, accompanied by problems with remembering information, speech disorders, concentration problems, migraines and dizziness. For alcoholic encephalopathy and polyneuritis, symptomatic motion sickness complex.

Use in children

For treatment in childhood, GABA is prescribed for cerebral palsy, as well as for rehabilitation after traumatic brain and birth injuries of the skull. Indicated for use in cases of slow mental development, accompanied by low mental and physical activity, as well as in symptomatic motion sickness complex.

Contraindications and adverse reactions

The only contraindication to the use of gamma-aminobutyric acid is individual intolerance to the drug and a tendency to allergies.

Also contraindicated in early pregnancy, under the age of one year and in acute renal failure.

Adverse reactions

Often, the use of gamma-aminobutyric acid is not accompanied by any adverse reactions, and patients tolerate therapy with GABA well.

In rare cases, dyspeptic disorders and a feeling of hot flashes to the face and neck were observed. Among the adverse reactions, in rare cases, sleep disturbances and surges in blood pressure with arrhythmia were observed, especially on the first day of taking gamma-aminobutyric acid preparations. To eliminate adverse reactions, it is enough to reduce the dosage.

Gamma-amino acid does not cause harm to the body, does not cause addiction or drug withdrawal syndrome.

Instructions for use

The drug is taken before meals. Dosages are set by the attending physician, depending on the pathology and type of therapy. The initial dosage is usually small, taken twice a day. On the third day of administration, the dosage may be increased.

Daily therapeutic doses for adults usually do not exceed two grams.

Children under three years old are prescribed one gram, up to six years old - 1.5 grams, over seven years old - two grams per day. The daily dosage should be divided into several doses, the frequency of which will be determined by the attending physician.

The duration of treatment is determined by the characteristics and nature of the disease; it can last from two weeks to four months. If a repeat course is necessary, it is carried out six months after the end of the previous course of treatment.

To treat motion sickness, the drug is taken twice a day for four days. To prevent motion sickness before an upcoming trip, take it twice a day three days before the trip, as well as directly on the day of the trip.

Remember that self-prescription of nootropic drugs without consulting a doctor can lead to serious consequences and deterioration of health.

Forms of the drug

Nicotinoyl gamma-aminobutyric acid is also known, which is used to improve cerebral circulation. Its action is similar to that of pure GABA, but the drug itself is also contraindicated for any kidney disease.

Adverse reactions may include irritability, allergic skin reactions, tremors and agitation.

It is also used for ophthalmological diseases, as well as during the recovery period after an ischemic stroke. Other indications coincide with the indications for the use of GABA.

Drug interactions

The drug can enhance the effect of benzodiazepine drugs, as well as many anticonvulsants and hypnotics.

Analogues and synonyms

Synonyms of the drug are Gammalon, GABA, Ganevrin, Alogamma, Encephalon, Gaballon, Myelogen, Myelomad, Gamarex.

Analogues of action are Noofen, Ceraxon, Piracetam, Phezam, Vincamine, Cordiamin.

It is well known that the most important component of our food is proteins. Although carbohydrates are very important for providing the body with energy, they can be obtained from both fats and amino acids. Fats aren't a problem either. But proteins - muscle proteins, connective tissue proteins, and, most importantly, enzymes - are obtained only from amino acids. Of these, 14 can be synthesized in the body, and 8, like vitamins, must enter the human body from food. If during hunger the body, having depleted its reserves of fat and carbohydrates, turns to proteins to maintain energy processes - disaster. In children, there is a lag in physical and mental development, in adults - hunger edema, a decrease in temperature and a weakening of all types of vital activity.

A person needs only 120 g of proteins per day, but there are not enough of them in plant foods, and plant proteins are poorly absorbed. In my opinion, meat, fish and dairy products should definitely be included in the diet. If the food lacks certain amino acids (even if they are not essential), they can be taken in the form of medications, such as glutamic acid and histidine. Methionine is especially often used, which is absolutely necessary for degenerative processes in the liver and heart, and glycine as a sedative. (But we'll talk about that later.)

Gamma-aminobutyric acid

For a long time it remained unclear how a decrease in overall brain activity is achieved - for example, during sleep. Scientists guessed that there must be a substance, perhaps a transmitter of nerve impulses - a mediator, which would ensure a decrease in the activity of the nervous system not in individual cells or even in the nerve nuclei, but in the brain in general. And such a universal inhibitory mediator was discovered. It turned out to be gamma-aminobutyric acid, which we will henceforth call for short - GABA.

GABA was first discovered in the brain by Yu. Roberts and his colleagues (and independently by Jörg Avapara) in 1950. Since the butyric acid molecule has a chain of three carbon atoms (and the fourth in the COO group), according to systematic nomenclature the acid should be called aminobutanoic acid, but no one calls acetic acid ethanoic acid (Fig. 1).

The building blocks of proteins are alpha amino acids: those in which the amino group is attached to a carbon atom located next to the carboxy group. What can gamma amino acid be useful for?

It is known that when the skin (as well as any other sensory organs) is irritated, electrical potentials called primary responses arise in the corresponding areas of the cerebral cortex. In 1963, the English scientist K. Krnevich brought a pipette filled with a very weak GABA solution to one of the neurons reproducing primary responses. He was the first to establish that the amino acid flowing from the pipette was capable of completely suppressing the occurrence of impulses in the sensitive cells of the cerebral cortex. Japanese researchers made it even simpler: they brought a light electrode to the surface of the brain, and placed a filter paper moistened with a GABA solution “on top” of it. The advantage of such an experiment was not only its simplicity, but also the fact that the amplitude of the recorded potentials, formed not by one, but by several neurons at once, approximately reflects the strength of the impact. In this case, of course, a higher concentration of the substance was required, but the effect turned out to be the same - the potentials were suppressed. Later, similar experiments were reproduced by the author of this article (Fig. 2).

It was further found that GABA can inhibit not only evoked, but also spontaneously occurring potentials, both in the cortex and in other areas of the brain. In this case, GABA is synthesized and released precisely in those brain nuclei that are responsible for its inhibition. It is believed that GABA mediates the transmission of inhibitory impulses in approximately 30–50% of nerve contacts. How does she do it?

Contacts of nerve fibers with cells - synapses functioning with the participation of GABA - are not fundamentally different from others. GABA is synthesized in the cytoplasm of the neuron and, with the arrival of an impulse, is released into the synaptic cleft between the endings of the nerves and the adjacent portion of the neuron sheath (Fig. 3). Specialized receptor proteins (from the Latin recipe - take) that interact with GABA have also been discovered. As a result of this interaction, channels open in the membrane of the receiving neuron, allowing negatively charged chlorine ions, which are contained in excess in the intercellular fluid, to enter the cell. The penetration of chlorine causes a state of hyperpolarization in the cell, that is, inhibition (recall that the transfer of excitation occurs due to the opposite process: depolarization of the neuron membrane). It has now been established that GABA receptors are also found in blood vessels, especially in the brain.

Scientists have compiled maps that indicate exactly where GABA acts as an inhibitory transmitter and how great its significance is in each area. Although the concentration of this acid varies in different parts of the brain, it can be found almost everywhere. We calculated the approximate total number of its molecules - and were surprised. It turned out that the brain contains GABA in much larger quantities than required for mediator functions. Why, one might ask, so much?

It was natural to assume that GABA performs some other functions in the brain. And in fact, it turned out to be an obligatory participant in many exchange processes. It affects the transport and utilization of glucose, the respiration of cells, the formation of energy reserves in them, increases the resistance of cells and the brain as a whole to oxygen starvation, and activates protein synthesis. The variety of physiological and biochemical functions performed by GABA, as well as data on the disruption of its formation in some psychopathological and neurological disorders - all this spoke of its enormous importance. Pharmacologists could not pass by such an amazing molecule.

In the search for new drugs, scientists remembered that plants, millions of years ago, learned to synthesize compounds that successfully block the effects of mediators. In the case of GABA, these are the alkaloids picrotoxin (found in the seeds of tree vines of the genus Anamirta, which grow in tropical Asian countries - Indonesia, India, New Guinea, the Moluccas, as well as in various types of astragalus) and bicuculline (isolated from the leaves of Dicentre cucullaria of the fumaria family ). They tried to use both of these substances to activate the brain, but they turned out to be too dangerous, since even in negligible doses they caused severe convulsions. (The natives once prepared poison from anamirtha for “chemical” fishing and for arrows.) Now, to excite the respiratory center, a synthetic drug bimegride is used, which also blocks the effects of GABA, but more selectively and not so actively.

The first medicine that activated GABA receptors was this acid itself in its pure form. Her drug called “gammalon” was developed in Japan, and later exactly the same domestic product appeared, called “aminalon”. Despite the fact that both drugs have been used for quite some time, their therapeutic effects remain unclear. The fact is that due to low solubility in fats, GABA almost does not enter the brain tissue from the blood - however, its central effects are beyond doubt and are well studied. The explanation of the valuable properties of gammalon-aminalone by the ability of GABA to dilate blood vessels seems unsatisfactory.

Pharmacologists know that in order to increase the permeability of substances into the brain through the blood-brain barrier, which separates the blood (essentially an aqueous solution) from the lipid-rich brain cells, they need to “suspend” a highly fat-soluble radical. Leningrad pharmacologists, including my friend Professor I.P. Lapin, proposed introducing a phenyl radical into the GABA molecule, which turned it into the drug phenibut, which easily overcomes the barrier - and has a pronounced inhibitory effect (Fig. 1)! Today, phenibut is a common daytime tranquilizer, and, what is especially valuable, it does not interfere with driving.

Over time, it was established that in brain tissue GABA loses its amino group, which is replaced by hydroxyl. This substance is called gamma-hydroxybutyric acid. If injected directly into the blood, it not only penetrates the blood-brain barrier, but also has such a strong inhibitory effect on the brain that its sodium salt, sodium hydroxybutyrate, can be used as a means for general anesthesia (more precisely, to turn off consciousness) during operations. Think about it: a person produces a substance in his brain that can cause a state of anesthesia! How can one not remember about operations under hypnosis?

The second way to improve the penetration of a drug molecule into brain tissue is to attach some naturally occurring substance, such as a vitamin, to it. In particular, the drug picamilon is obtained by combining nicotinic acid, also known as PP, with GABA. As expected, picamilon dilates blood vessels in the brain and has a calming effect in cases of anxiety, fear, increased irritability, and also increases resistance to physical and mental stress.

The creation of GABA-like drugs and the study of their effects made it possible to talk about the existence of two main functions of GABA - mediator and metabolic. The mediator function is associated with the participation of GABA in regulating the level of wakefulness, motor activity, vascular tone, maintaining a high seizure threshold and partly improving memory and thinking. Metabolic function is the provision of energy to the brain, resistance to oxygen starvation and other harmful influences.

Nootropics

In 1963, the Belgian company UCB obtained a compound that was a gamma-aminobutyric acid coiled into a ring with some additional radicals. When studying this compound, Professor K. Giurji and his collaborators found that it actively improves memory and facilitates the learning process, that is, it affects the higher intellectual functions of the brain. Since in Greek thinking and reason are noos, and affinity is tropos, the new medicine was called “nootropil”. And in 1972 the term “nootropic drugs” appeared.

According to WHO experts, nootropic drugs activate the ability to learn, improve memory and mental activity, and also increase the brain’s resistance to aggressive influences.

In Russia, nootropil is produced under the name “piracetam”, and around the world under more than 30 names - further evidence of its extraordinary popularity. Indications for its use are memory impairment, decreased concentration, mood changes, behavioral and thinking disorders in vascular diseases, injuries and sclerosis of the brain, as well as mental disorders in chronic alcoholism. The drug is well tolerated, but in some people it causes unexpected reactions: excitement or, conversely, drowsiness, sometimes dizziness, and sometimes increased sexuality.

Today, the group of nootropic drugs does not have strictly defined boundaries. In addition to the already mentioned aminalon, phenibut and picamilon, it also includes deonol (nooclerin), idebenone, meclofenoxate, nicotinoyl-GABA and pantogam. All these drugs are metabolic and, to some extent, antioxidant. Conventionally, nootropic drugs include drugs that have a pronounced ability to cause dilation of cerebral blood vessels: vinpocetine (Cavinton), complamine, trental, cinnarizine, etc. Caffeine and some vitamins can also be considered nootropic: B6, B15, BC, and B12.

If we consider the nootropic effect as such, we can point out that it is based on three characteristic properties (which are expressed to varying degrees in different drugs): firstly, they restore the balance between excitatory and inhibitory processes in the brain, secondly, they activate metabolism and energy processes in nerve cells, thirdly, increase the endurance of neurons during oxygen starvation and membrane toxic effects.

In recent years, the idea of ​​nootropic drugs has changed somewhat. It is expected that the next generation of drugs in this group will not only activate higher integrative functions of the brain, but also restore memory and mental processes, reduce deficits arising from various types of damage to the nervous system and increase the body's resistance. These funds will transform the life of mankind, relieving them of the consequences of brain diseases and ensuring active aging. And perhaps they will allow us to treat congenital or acquired dementia.

GABA receptors have a very interesting feature: they are surrounded by other receptors that also regulate the process of inhibition, both through GABA receptors and independently. Among these “companions,” the receptors for barbiturates, alcohol and, most importantly, benzodiazepines are today some of the most common and valuable drugs with tranquilizer, muscle relaxant, ataractic, anticonvulsant and hypnotic effects. They will have to devote a separate section.

Benzodiazepines are the main tranquilizers

The word “bedlam”, meaning “total disorder,” comes from the name of the largest 14th-century psychiatric hospital in London. Something completely chaotic was really going on there: patients with various forms of psychosis were kept in common rooms. Some of them behaved so violently that they became dangerous to others. Then they were put in a special chair, like an electric chair, to which not only the arms and legs, but also the head of the unfortunate person were tied. The patient, unsuccessfully trying to break free from his bonds, gradually became tired and calmed down, calmed down. Such chairs were called tranquilizers (from the Latin tranquillo - I calm). This is where this now widespread term comes from.

Currently, tranquilizers are used to treat neuroses rather than psychoses - these are drugs from the arsenal of neuropathologists rather than psychiatrists. The most common causes of neuroses are loss of a sense of security and confidence in the future. There is an opinion that neurosis is “no big deal”, that everyone has neuroses, but this “not terrible” disease is sometimes followed by depression and suicide.

Tranquilizers replaced sedatives, which were given to people who could not find a place for themselves from excitement, restlessness or anxiety. Unfortunately, they could not relieve anxiety and fear, but they allowed us to somehow calm down, sit down and relax (hence the name: sedere - in Latin “to sit down”). The favorite sedatives were bromine and barbiturates, which caused total inhibition in the brain, which, of course, did not restore health and were far from harmless. Medicinal herbs act in a similar way, only weaker: valerian, peony and passionflower.

In the early 60s, the first benzodiazepine appeared - Librium (Elenium), which immediately interested doctors of all specialties. Particularly attractive were its central muscle relaxant (relaxing skeletal muscle) and anticonvulsant activities. Currently, there are many benzodiazepines. Anti-anxiety tranquilizers include elenium (in the Russian version chlozepid), sibazon (diazepam, relanium, seduxen), nozepam (tazepam) and phenazepam, which have a pronounced anxiolytic (anti-anxiety, from anxius - anxious, fear-ridden) and sedative effect. Benzodiazepines without sedative-hypnotic effects are called daytime tranquilizers. These include mezapam (aka rudatel).

All of these drugs are well tolerated, but many of them have side effects described: headache, drowsiness, impaired potency, decreased reaction speed, the ability to enhance the effect of alcohol, causing pathological intoxication with loss of consciousness. Phenazepam is especially dangerous in this regard, the effect of which can last from one to four days. With long-term use, addiction occurs, less often addiction, worsening mood, a person begins to take new drugs from this group... In short, it is better to start treating insomnia not with phenazepam, but to take a more difficult route - for example, reduce coffee consumption in the afternoon and brew it before bedtime herbal tea: what if you don’t need a pill?

Now Russia is purchasing from abroad a relatively new drug, gidazepam, the tranquilizer effect of which is combined with an activating effect. It is also effective in treating migraines. Alprozalam is interesting for its antidepressant effect. In my opinion, these drugs should be in special demand, but this is not the case. Probably because their names do not appear on colorful posters and are not repeated in advertising videos.

Glycine as a mild tranquilizer

The second nonessential inhibitory amino acid, glycine, has had a quiet but well-deserved success, even though it is only an aminoacetic acid. There is little of it in brain tissue, but this small amount is absolutely necessary. Being an inhibitory transmitter, glycine prevents the spread of an impulse arriving along the sensitive dorsal roots of the spinal cord to its other half and other segments. Natural antagonists of glycine that are unsurpassed in activity and bind to its receptors are tetanus toxin and the alkaloid strychnine, contained in the emetic nuts Nux vomica, also known as the fruits of St. Ignace. (Strychnine is a well-known poison, and emetic nuts are one of the most favorite medicines among homeopaths.) If the action of glycine is blocked, then the slightest irritation causes a tonic contraction of the muscles of the entire body, which takes on the opisthotonus position typical of strychnine or tetanus poisoning: arching with support on back of the head and heels. In modern scientific medicine, strychnine is rarely used. But glycine is gaining more and more popularity

The clinic has confirmed that (when used sublingually) not only enhances the effect of anticonvulsants, but also accelerates sleep, has an antioxidant, anti-stress, tranquilizing and nootropic effect, blocking the pituitary-adrenal system.

According to clinical data, glycine suppresses irritability and makes behavior more reasonable. At the same time, it is similar to tranquilizers only in its sedative effect, and in all other respects it is the opposite of them. Thus, it does not have a muscle relaxant effect, weakens the effect of alcohol, does not cause addiction, increases the speed of reactions, enhances mental performance, and with increasing dose its effect decreases. Glycine not only does not interfere with driving, but is recommended for drivers!

Let's face it, you can't always trust a clinic. But there is also very authoritative experimental data in favor of the fact that in a model of brain hypoxia with the occurrence of a heart attack, glycine prevents it more effectively than piracetam. At the same time, the turnover of GABA increases, the content of the main brain mediators increases or normalizes in many of its parts, especially in the area of ​​ischemia. The journal Human Physiology (2001) reports that after three weeks of taking glycine twice a day, an increase in the speed of thought processes was recorded.

Today, indications for the use of glycine include stressful conditions, psycho-emotional tension, increased excitability, emotional lability, neuroses, vegetative-vascular dystonia, consequences of traumatic brain injury, encephalopathy, including alcoholic, sleep disorders... A real miracle is the effect of an ordinary amino acid that we consume with food and produced in our own body. Perhaps it is precisely such medicines that will open the way to health and longevity for people.

“Chemistry and life - XXI century”

A person is able to control his own body, think and make decisions. All this is due to the central nervous system. All tissues and organs are connected to it. Even those body functions that do not require conscious control depend on the adequate functioning of the central nervous system. The brain sends signals and, thanks to this, we breathe, our heart beats, we are able to see the world around us. Gamma-aminobutyric acid plays an important role in the functioning of the central nervous system. This is exactly what we will talk about.

What happens when the brain malfunctions? The consequences can be unpredictable and quite sad: from various physical ailments to loss of personality. Sometimes, at the first signs of nervous disorders or for the treatment of more serious diseases, doctors prescribe a medicine containing GABA. Another name for the acid is GABA. Let's find out what this substance is and why it is so significant.

An amino acid is a biologically active chemical involved in brain metabolism. It is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, that is, an intermediary between the gray matter and the cells of the body. The formation of gamma occurs from glutamic acid with the participation of the enzyme (glutamate decarboxylase).

Under the influence of gamma aminobutyric acid, the following occurs:

1. activation of energy processes;
2. improved blood circulation;
3. glucose utilization;
4. removal of toxins;
5. stabilization of blood pressure;
6. preventing muscle cramps;
7. saturation of tissues with oxygen;
8. normalization of nervous processes;
9. calming the nervous system.

The deficiency of this substance can be compensated by using gaba supplement. However, you should consult your doctor first. Because excess in the body leads to a restless state, causing shortness of breath and trembling in the limbs. So in what situations does a person need medicine?

Indications for the use of nootropic drugs

As a rule, GABA is taken in combination with other drugs to relieve symptoms of the following diseases:

• epilepsy;
• arterial hypertension;
• atherosclerosis;
• endogenous depression;
• cerebrovascular insufficiency;
• stroke;
• cerebral palsy.

The use of food additives is not limited to this:

1. With the help of gamma aminobutyric acid they fight the consequences of traumatic brain injuries;
2. It helps reduce the manifestations of alcoholic encephalopathy;
3. This is an indispensable assistant for the symptom complex of motion sickness;
4. Indications for use are frequent headaches and sudden dizziness;
5. Effective in reducing concentration;
6. Allows you to establish a memorization mechanism;
7. Recommended by doctors if problems with speech occur;
8. It is appropriate to take gamma-aminobutyric acid derivatives for children who are developmentally delayed, as well as for children with severe dementia;
9. In addition, this is a real godsend for people suffering from insomnia. After all, such drugs have a relaxing effect;
10. Hamk also comes to the rescue with sexual dysfunction, as it relaxes the body as a whole.

Weight loss

An important point is that dietary supplements with GABA help you lose weight. This is due to the fact that one of the properties of GABA is the acceleration of muscle mass gain. In an effort to lose excess weight, many people resort to exercise. The primary task is to get rid of fatty tissue.

Pumped up muscles increase, and fat disappears due to this. Obesity is also a problem for people who sleep poorly. Lack of sleep - extra centimeters on the waist. Metabolism slows down, the body is in a state of stress, which provokes a feeling of hunger. No one promises quick weight loss thanks to a dietary supplement. But at least getting enough sleep will help you stop gaining pounds.

How to avoid a deficiency of the “inhibitory” substance?

A person suffering from a lack of gamma cannot fully work during the day and relax at night. The thing is that an overexcited nervous system does not have the opportunity to return to normal. Therefore, a state of eternal anxiety, depression, and aggression arises. It is difficult to organize your own schedule correctly. You don’t have time to cope with what you planned and get even more irritated. And at night, when you need to fall into a deep restorative sleep, you suffer from insomnia and replay unpleasant moments in your head. You become like a wound up doll that is unable to stop on its own. But there is also zero sense in chaotic walking.

Is it possible to avoid such a fate? There are several ways to increase your gaba levels:

1. Introducing certain foods into the diet;
2. Relaxing physical exercise (such as yoga);
3. Use of special nutritional supplements.

When composing your diet, include oranges, kiwi, and bananas. Eat oatmeal and whole grain bread. Don't forget about offal. Broccoli, lentils, and spinach will benefit. Sometimes nuts should appear on the menu. It is better to drink herbal infusions and green tea. It is appropriate to add lemon balm to the drink.

However, it is not always possible to achieve the desired result with proper nutrition. But finding an hour and a half to relieve stress through physical exercise is problematic. In addition, a set of special exercises must be done correctly, under the supervision of an instructor. And this is additional expenses and, again, precious time.

Bioactive supplements containing gamma aminobutyric acid come to the rescue. Today, buying dietary supplements is not a problem. There are analogues from different manufacturers. You can choose a product with an acceptable price-quality combination. Let's study the issue of making the right choice in more detail.

Acquisition of GABA

You can purchase gaba supplements at a pharmacy or order from the iHerb online store. To know what to look for, pay attention to the list of trade names:

• GABA or GABA;
• Nicotinoyl gamma;
• Aminalon;
• Gammalon;
• Ganevrin;
• Gaballon;
• Apogamma;
• Encephalon;
• Gammar;
• Gammaneuron;
• Myelomad.

This is not a complete list. There are a large number of nootropics on sale in which the active ingredient is gamma-aminobutyric acid.

Here are a few analogues:

1. Nicotinoyl gamma. White crystalline powder, odorless. Quickly absorbed, practically non-toxic. If there is a problem with blood circulation in the brain, doctors prescribe nicotinoyl gamma as the main drug for treatment;
2. Aminalon. Available in tablets. It is prescribed to influence the central nervous system in order to eliminate manifestations of overexcitation. Well tolerated by patients. Aminalon is purchased by prescription;
3. Gammalon. Release form: tablets. Nootropic pharmacological effects. Normalizes the dynamics of nervous processes. Taken as prescribed by physicians.

It is convenient to buy dietary supplements in online stores. You can even order gaba delivery. Couriers deliver the goods to the address you specify.

Possibility of purchasing on iHerb

You should pay attention to iherb. There is a wide range of nutritional supplements here. You can choose the option that suits both the price and composition. Let's look at some suggestions:

1. Gaba solgar. Plant-based nutritional supplement. One Solgar capsule contains 500 mg of active substance. There are 100 capsules in a package. Relaxes and calms;
2. Now Foods, GABA. Capsules of 100 pieces in one package. The price varies depending on the site (about 1000 rubles). Used to relieve nervous tension;
3. Gaba plus. The drug is from Twinlab. This is a vitamin and mineral complex. The price for 100 capsules is 1350 rubles. Recommended for maintaining physical fitness, suitable for people leading an active lifestyle;
4. Gamma-aminobutyric acid. Manufacturer NORTHEAST PHARMACEUTICAL GROUP. Available in powder. It is important to strictly follow the dosage regimen in grams.

The decision about what you need better, nicotinoyl gamma, solgar or gaba plus is difficult to make on your own. It is a wise decision to consult a doctor and undergo the necessary examinations. Only a competent approach will allow you to obtain the expected therapeutic effect.

Instructions for use

The drug is taken orally. Preferably before meals. Before starting the course, carefully study the gamma aminobutyric acid instructions. It indicates the required dosages, as well as possible side effects. Sometimes the body reacts specifically to the active substance. Side effects such as vomiting and nausea can be expected. In some cases, digestive disorders occur. Sometimes pressure surges occur. Sometimes a person feels hot. All this passes over time.

Contraindications for use:

1. individual intolerance;
2. first trimester of pregnancy;
3. acute renal failure.

Use for children is allowed after one year. Any medicine or nutritional supplement should only be given to a child after consultation with a specialist.

It is worth considering one more point. Gaba receptors are sensitive to alcohol. It is strictly forbidden to combine bioactive supplements and alcohol. Since alcoholic beverages have a similar effect on the body as GABA, their simultaneous use leads to an excessive inhibitory reaction. There may be a state of depression and indifference to the world around you. Characterized by depression, slowness of movements, and ringing in the ears.

Formula: C4H9NO2, chemical name: 4-Aminobutanoic acid.
Pharmacological group: neurotropic drugs/nootropics.
Pharmachologic effect: nootropic, stimulating metabolism in the central nervous system.

Pharmacological properties

Gamma-aminobutyric acid is one of the main mediators that take part in central inhibition. Gamma-aminobutyric acid activates energy processes, improves blood supply to the brain, increases the respiratory activity of tissues, improves the removal of toxic products and glucose utilization. Gamma-aminobutyric acid reacts with GABAergic (types A and B) receptors. Gamma-aminobutyric acid improves the dynamics of nervous processes in the brain, improves memory, increases thinking productivity, and has a moderate antihypoxic, psychostimulating, and anticonvulsant effect. Gamma-aminobutyric acid after cerebrovascular accident helps in restoring speech and motor functions. Gamma-aminobutyric acid has a moderately pronounced hypotensive property, reduces initially high blood pressure and the severity of symptoms that are caused by hypertension (insomnia, dizziness), and slightly reduces the heart rate. In patients with diabetes mellitus, it reduces blood glucose levels; with normal blood glucose levels, gamma-aminobutyric acid often causes hyperglycemia, which is caused by glycogenolysis. The maximum concentration of gamma-aminobutyric acid in plasma is achieved 1 hour after administration, then the content of the drug quickly decreases and after 24 hours gamma-aminobutyric acid is not detected in the blood plasma. Low toxic. Gamma-aminobutyric acid penetrates the blood-brain barrier poorly (according to experimental data).

Indications

Pathology of cerebral vessels (hypertension, atherosclerosis and others), discirculatory encephalopathy and cerebrovascular insufficiency, disturbances of attention, memory, speech, headache, dizziness, consequences of traumatic brain injury and stroke, alcoholic polyneuritis, alcoholic encephalopathy, dementia, mental retardation in children, cerebral palsy, motion sickness symptom complex (air sickness and sea sickness), endogenous depression with difficulty in mental activity and the predominance of astheno-hypochondriacal phenomena.

Method of use of gamma-aminobutyric acid and dose

Gamma-aminobutyric acid is taken orally, before meals. Adults - 1.5 - 3.75 g per day, children 3 years old - 0.5 - 2 g per day, 4 - 6 years old - 2 - 3 g per day, over 7 years old - 3 g per day. The daily dose must be divided into 3 doses; the course of treatment ranges from 2 – 3 to 8 – 16 weeks. For motion sickness syndrome: children - 0.25 g, adults - 0.5 g for 3 days 3 times a day; for the prevention of motion sickness - in the same doses for 3 days that precede a possible situation of motion sickness.
Gamma-aminobutyric acid should be used with caution by vehicle drivers during work, as well as by people whose professions involve rapid psychomotor reactions and increased concentration.

Contraindications for use

Hypersensitivity, acute renal failure, age up to 3 years, breastfeeding period, pregnancy (1st trimester).

Restrictions on use

No data.

Use during pregnancy and breastfeeding

The use of gamma-aminobutyric acid is contraindicated in the 1st trimester of pregnancy. In the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy, the use of the drug is possible only according to indications and under the supervision of the attending physician. While taking gamma-aminobutyric acid, you must stop breastfeeding.

Side effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid

Insomnia, nausea, fluctuations in blood pressure (in the first days of use), vomiting, hyperthermia, dyspepsia, feeling of heat.
Interaction of gamma-aminobutyric acid with other substances
Gamma-aminobutyric acid enhances the effects of drugs that improve the functions of the central nervous system. Benzodiazepines enhance the effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid.