| Description | Citicoline whose chemical name choline cytosine nucleoside-5'-diphosphate monosodium salt, is a precursor for lecithin biosynthesis, and when brain function declines, the content of lecithin in brain tissue is significantly reduced. |
| Originator | Nicholin,Cyanamid,Italy,1971 |
| Uses | Cytidine 5'-Diphosphocholine is used as antidepressant, 5HT uptake inhibitor. |
| Definition | ChEBI: CDP-choline is a member of the class of phosphocholines that is the chloine ester of CDP. It is an intermediate obtained in the biosynthetic pathway of structural phospholipids in cell membranes. It has a role as a human metabolite, a psychotropic drug, a neuroprotective agent, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolite and a mouse metabolite. It is a member of phosphocholines and a member of nucleotide-(amino alcohol)s. It is functionally related to a CDP. It is a conjugate base of a CDP-choline(1+). |
| Manufacturing Process | A 250 ml conical flask containing 30 ml of a reaction liquor (pH 7.0) having acomposition of 7.38 mg/ml of disodium salt of CMP (cytidine-5'-monophosphate), 24 mg/ml of choline, 10 mg/ml of glucose, 100 mg/ml ofacetone-dried cells of Brevibacterium ammoniagenes ATCC 6872, 11.6 mg/mlof monopotassium phosphate, 20 mg/ml of dipotassium phosphate and 2.96mg/ml of magnesium sulfate, (MgSO4·7H2O), was subjected to culturing at30°C for 4 hours. Cytidine diphosphate choline was formed and accumulatedat a concentration of 3.8 mg/ml in the culture liquor.
The pH of 1.2 liters of filtrate containing 3.8 mg/ml of cytidine diphosphatecholine, obtained by removing solid matters from the culturing liquor, wasadjusted to a pH of 8.5 with a 0.5 N KOH solution. The filtrate was passedthrough a column of strongly basic anion exchange resin, Dowex 1 x 2 (formicacid type). After washing the resin with water, a formic acid solution waspassed through the column with gradual increase in the concentration offormic acid (until 0.04 N max.). A fraction of cytidine diphosphate choline wascollected by elution according to the so-called gradient elution method andabsorbed onto carbon powders. Then, elution was effected with acetone, andthe eluate was concentrated and dried. 1.3 g of cytidine diphosphate choline (Cytidine 5'-Diphosphocholine) powders were obtained. |
| Therapeutic Function | Cerebral circulation stimulant |
| benefits | Citicoline (CDP-choline; Cytidine 5'-Diphosphocholine), a naturally occurring endogenous compound, is an essential intermediate in the biosynthesis of cell membrane phospholipids. Produced endogenously, citicoline serves as a choline donor in the metabolic pathways for the biosynthesis of acetylcholine and neuronal membrane phospholipids, mainly phosphatidylcholine. When a citicoline supplement is taken by mouth or intravenously, its two main components, cytidine and choline, are fully absorbed into the bloodstream. Once absorbed, citicoline is widely distributed throughout the body and can cross the blood-brain barrier and reach the central nervous system (CNS), where it is incorporated into phospholipids. Citicoline activates the biosynthesis of structural phospholipids that form neuronal membranes, increases brain metabolism, and influences levels of multiple neurotransmitters. Citicoline has increased acetylcholine, norepinephrine and dopamine levels in the central nervous system. Citicoline has been proposed to protect nerve cells after cerebral ischemia. In animal studies, it has been found to improve learning and memory. Citicoline may be used as a treatment for cerebral vascular disease after head trauma and cognitive impairment arising from multiple causes. Citicoline helps recovery from post-traumatic coma and neurological deficits in those who have had an ischemic cerebral vascular disease such as stroke. Additional uses of citicoline include treatment of age-related cognitive decline and degenerative neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. |
| Mechanism of action | Cytidine 5'-Diphosphocholine may have neuroprotective effects due to its preservation of cardiolipin and sphingomyelin, preservation of arachidonic acid content of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, partial restoration of phosphatidylcholine levels, and stimulation of glutathione synthesis and glutathione reductase activity. It's effects may also be explained by the reduction of phospholipase A2 activity. Citicoline increases phosphatidylcholine synthesis. |
| Side effects | Citicoline has a very low toxicity profile in animals and humans. Minor transient adverse effects are rare and most commonly include stomach pain and diarrhea. |
| References | [1] Journal of Chemical Research, 2016, vol. 40, # 6, p. 358 - 360
[2] Patent: CN105732752, 2016, A. Location in patent: Paragraph 0014; 0016; 0019 |
