New Taurine Analogues in Treatment Strategies for Parkinson’s Disease

Taurine, a colourless water soluble, two carbon atom s amino ethane sulphonic acid (NH2-CH2CH2SO3H, CA registry No 107-35-7) was first isolated from Ox Gile in 1827. It is derived from methionine and cysteine catabolism. The mammalian cell metabolism does not use taurine either as a source of energy or as a source of inorganic sulfate or organic sulfur. This amino acid is also not part of any protein but remains free in intercellular water. It is abundant in electrically excited tissues such as skeletal and cardic, nervous and platelets. In brain its concentration is exceeded only by glutamic acid. Besides its well known functions in bile salt amidation, taurine is involved in a broad spectrum of metabolic processes including modulation of calcium flux, modulation of neuronal excitability, detoxification, anti-oxidation, membrane stabilization and antiepilepsy.