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. 2008 Summer;13(2):57-65.

The potential health benefits of taurine in cardiovascular disease

Yan-Jun Xu  1 , Amarjit S Arneja, Paramjit S Tappia, Naranjan S Dhalla
Affiliations

The potential health benefits of taurine in cardiovascular disease

Yan-Jun Xu et al. Exp Clin Cardiol. 2008 Summer.

Abstract

Taurine (2-aminoethanesulphonic acid), a sulphur-containing amino acid, is found in most mammalian tissues. Although it can be synthesized endogenously, the major source of taurine is from the diet. Taurine was found to exhibit diverse biological actions, including protection against ischemia-reperfusion injury, modulation of intracellular calcium concentration, and antioxidant, antiatherogenic and blood pressure-lowering effects. The present review will address the potential beneficial actions of taurine in congestive heart failure, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis and diabetic cardiomyopathy. There is a wealth of experimental information and some clinical evidence available in the literature suggesting that taurine could be of benefit in cardiovascular disease of different etiologies. However, double-blind long-term clinical trials need to be conducted before taurine can be unequivocally recommended as a nutritional intervention for the prevention and/or treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Keywords: Angiotensin II; Congestive heart failure; Diabetic cardiomyopathy; Hypertension; Ischemic heart disease; Oxidative stress; Taurine.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The protective effect of taurine on ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) in rat hearts. Isolated rat hearts were perfused in the absence or presence of taurine (10 mM) as described previously (26), and were subjected to 30 min of global ischemia followed by reperfusion. The control value for the left ventricular development pressure (LVDP) was 87±6 mmHg. –dP/dt Rate of left ventricular pressure decay; +dP/dt Rate of left ventricular pressure development; LVEDP Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure
Figure 2
Figure 2
The interaction of taurine and angiotensin II (Ang II). Dashed arrows indicate an inhibitory effect caused by taurine. [Ca2+]i Intracellular Ca2+ concentration; ANP Atrial natriuretic peptide; ERK1/2 Extracellularly regulated kinase 1/2; PKC Protein kinase C; TGF-β1 Transforming growth factor β-1
Figure 3
Figure 3
Mechanism of taurine action involving angiotensin II (Ang II) antagonism in atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure (CHF) and diabetic cardiomyopathy. I-R Ischemia-reperfusion
Figure 4
Figure 4
Mechanisms of taurine action involving reductions in oxidative stress, serum low density lipoproteins (LDL) and intracellular Ca2+ overload in diverse cardiovascular abnormalities. CHF Congestive heart failure; I-R Ischemia-reperfusion
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