Neurons: nootropics and compounds | sci-wiki

Humanin

Humanin is a 24-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide and one of the first signaling molecules found to be encoded within the mitochondrial genome rather than the nucleus, translated from a short open reading frame inside the 16S ribosomal RNA region. It was first identified in the surviving neurons of an Alzheimer's-affected brain as a rescue factor, and it is broadly cytoprotective; a well-characterized part of its anti-apoptotic action is that it directly binds the pro-death protein BAX and sequesters it away from the mitochondrial membrane. It has been reported to improve insulin sensitivity, protect the heart against ischemic injury, and correlate with longevity, with higher circulating levels in the offspring of centenarians, and it is studied as a target in aging and neurodegeneration.

3 outlets

Nootropic

L-Serine

L-serine is a proteinogenic alpha-amino acid that the body can normally synthesize, which classifies it as non-essential, though this label is increasingly viewed as conditional. Built mainly from an intermediate of glucose metabolism, it sits at a hub of one-carbon metabolism, supplying building blocks for proteins, the amino acids glycine and cysteine, cell-membrane lipids, and nucleotides, as well as the NMDA-receptor co-agonist D-serine. When L-serine is scarce, the enzyme serine palmitoyltransferase incorporates alanine in its place and produces neurotoxic 1-deoxysphingolipids, the biochemical cause of hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type 1; oral L-serine reduces their formation and is used as a treatment for that disorder. It is also under study for a range of other neurological conditions and is available as a dietary supplement.

2 outlets

Nootropic

Spermidine

Spermidine is a naturally occurring polyamine, a small organic molecule found in all living cells and in many foods such as wheat germ, aged cheese, soybeans, and mushrooms. First isolated from semen, which gives it its name, it plays fundamental roles in cell growth, gene regulation, and membrane stability. In recent years it has attracted attention as a potential longevity compound because it triggers autophagy, the cellular recycling process linked to healthy aging.

2 outlets

Mitochondrial

Urolithin B

Urolithin B is one of the urolithins, compounds produced by gut bacteria from the ellagitannins and ellagic acid in foods such as pomegranates, walnuts and berries. Chemically it is a monohydroxy dibenzopyranone and a downstream product of the same microbial pathway that yields urolithin A. It has been studied mainly for effects on skeletal muscle, where laboratory and animal work suggests it can promote muscle growth [1][2].

reference