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Therapeutic Potential Of Citrulline As An Arginine Supplement: A Clinical Pharmacology Review, Jahidur Rashid, Shaun S. Kumar, Kathleen M. Job, Xiaoxi Liu, Candice D. Fike, Catherine M. T. Sherwin

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Supplemental arginine has shown promise as a safe therapeutic option to improve endogenous nitric oxide (NO) regulation in cardiovascular diseases associated with endothelial dysfunction. L-arginine, an endogenous amino acid, was reported in clinical studies in adults to improve cardiovascular function in hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, pre-eclampsia, angina, and mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome. L-citrulline, a natural precursor of L-arginine, is more bioavailable than L-arginine because of hepatic first-pass metabolism avoidance and longer circulation time. Although not yet well studied, arginine/citrulline has immense therapeutic potential in some life-threatening diseases of children. However, optimal clinical development of arginine or …