Inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase by cystamine may mediate the hypotriglyceridemic activity of pantethine.

Abstract

Pantethine is a versatile and well-tolerated hypolipidemic agent whose efficacy in this regard appears to be mediated by its catabolic product cystamine, a nucleophile which avidly attacks disulfide groups. An overview of pantethine research suggests that the hypotriglyceridemic activity of pantethine reflects cystamine-mediated inhibition of the hepatic acetyl-CoA carboxylase, which can be expected to activate hepatic fatty acid oxidation. Inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase as well as a more distal enzyme in the cholesterol synthetic pathway may account for pantethine's hypocholesterolemic effects. If pantethine does indeed effectively inhibit hepatic acetyl-CoA carboxylase, it may have adjuvant utility in the hepatothermic therapy of obesity. As a safe and effective compound of natural origin, pantethine merits broader use in the management of hyperlipidemias.

• Authors: M F McCarty
• Journal: Medical hypotheses (Med Hypotheses) Vol. 56 Issue 3 Pg. 314-7 (Mar 2001) ISSN: 0306-9877 [Print] United States
• PMID: 11359352 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.

Chemical References

• Fatty Acids
• Hypolipidemic Agents
• Triglycerides
• Pantetheine
• pantethine
• Cholesterol
• Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases
• Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase
• Cystamine

Topics

• Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase (antagonists & inhibitors)
• Animals
• Cholesterol (biosynthesis)
• Cystamine (pharmacology)
• Fatty Acids (metabolism)
• Humans
• Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases (metabolism)
• Hypolipidemic Agents (pharmacology)
• Liver (drug effects, metabolism)
• Models, Biological
• Obesity (drug therapy)
• Pantetheine (analogs & derivatives, pharmacology)
• Triglycerides (metabolism)