L-tryptophan is an amino acid, a protein building block that can be found in many plant and animal proteins. L-tryptophan is called an "essential" amino acid because the body can't make it. It must be acquired from food.
Application
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid which is the precursor of serotonin. Serotonin is a brain neurotransmitter, platelet clotting factor and neurohormone found in organs throughout the body. Metabolism of tryptophan to serotonin requires nutrients such as vitamin B6, niacin and glutathione. Niacin is an important metabolite of tryptophan. High corn or other tryptophan-deficient diets can cause pellagra, which is a niacin-tryptophan deficiency disease with symptoms of dermatitis, diarrhea and dementia. Inborn errors of tryptophan metabolism exist where a tumor (carcinoid) makes excess serotonin. Hartnup's disease is a disease where tryptophan and other amino acids are not absorbed properly. Tryptophan supplements may be useful in each condition, in carcinoid replacing the over-metabolized nutrient and in Hartnup's supplementing a malabsorbed nutrient. Some disorders of excess tryptophan in the blood may contribute to mental retardation. Assessment of tryptophan deficiency is done through studying excretion of tryptophan metabolites in the urine or blood. Blood may be the most sensitive test because the amino acid tryptophan is transported in a unique way. Increased urination of tryptophan fragments correlates with increased tryptophan degradation, which occurs with oral contraception, depression, mental retardation, hypertension and anxiety states. The requirement for tryptophan and protein decreases with age. Adults' minimum daily requirement is 3 mg/kg/day or about 200 mg a day. This may be an underestimation, for there are 400 mg of tryptophan in just a cup of wheat germ. A cup of low fat cottage cheese contains 300 mg of tryptophan and chicken and turkey contain up to 600 mg per pound.
L-tryptophan is in plant auxin biosynthesis important precurssubstances, the structure the IAA similar, in higher plant are common. Can through the tryptophan auxin, there are two synthetic ways: (1) tryptophan first oxidation take off ammonia indoles acetone, to form the decarboxylation form indole acetaldehyde; Acetaldehyde in the corresponding of indoles enzyme catalytic oxidation as final indoles acetic acid. (2) tryptophan decarboxylation, which formed first, then by colamine oxidation take off ammonia acid indoles formation.
L-tryptophan is used for insomnia, sleep apnea, depression, anxiety, facial pain, a severe form of premenstrual syndrome called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), smoking cessation, grinding teeth during sleep (bruxism), attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Tourette's syndrome, and to improve athletic performance.
| Item |
Standard |
| Appearance |
White to slightly yellowish crystalline powder |
| Assay |
>98% |
| Loss on Drying |
<1.0% |
| Heavy Metal |
<10ppm |
| Arsenic |
<1ppm |
Specification:
| Specific rotation |
-30.5--32.5° |
| Heavy metals |
≤10ppm |
| Water content |
≤0.20% |
| Residue on ignition |
≤0.10% |
| Assay |
99.0-100.5% |
| pH |
5.4-6.4 |
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