Immunomodulating
properties of dimethylglycine in humans.
Graber CD; Goust JM; Glassman AD; Kendall R; Loadholt CB.
J Infect Dis 1981 Jan; 143(1): 101-5 PMID: 6163829 UI: 81169354
Dimethylglycine (DMG), a tertiary amino acid, has had wide
acceptance as a nonfuel nutrient; presumably it enhances
oxygen utilization by tissue and complexes free radicals.
Its potential as an immunoadjuvant has also been suggested
by a study of an analog of DMG, calcium pangamate. A double-blind
study in 20 human volunteers showed a fourfold increase
in antibody response to pneumococcal vaccine in those receiving
DMG orally as compared with controls (P less than 0.01).
Production of leukocyte inhibitory factor in response to
concanavalin A was similar in the two groups, but those
taking DMG tablets had a significantly highr mean response
of leukocyte inhibition factor to streptokinase-streptodornase
(P less than 0.001). The in vitro responses of lymphocytes
from patients with diabetes and those with sickle cell disease
to phytohemagglutinin, convanavalin A, and pokeweed mitogen
were increased almost threefold after addition of DMA. These
results suggest that DMG enhances both humoral and cell-mediated
immune responses in humans.
N,N dimethylglycine and epilepsy.
Gascon G; Patterson B; Yearwood K; Slotnick H. Department
of Neuroscience, University of North Dakota School of Medicine,
Fargo. Epilepsia 1989 Jan-Feb; 30(1): 90-3 PMID: 2463912
UI: 89107126
Nineteen institutionalized patients with frequent seizures
(group average two to three per day; seizure types--generalized,
akinetic/myoclonic), were treated randomly with either placebo
or N,N dimethylglycine (DMG) for 28 days. Dosage was 300
mg/day for the first 14 days and then 600 mg/day. Plasma
levels were measured at baseline, days 2, 5, 8, 15, 22,
30, and 1 and 2 weeks after the study ended. No differences
in seizure frequency were noted between placebo and DMG
or between baseline and test conditions. No toxicity was
noted.
Dimethylglycine and chemically related amines tested for
mutagenicity under potential nitrosation conditions.
Hoorn AJ. Hazleton Biotechnologies, Veenendaal, The Netherlands.
Mutat Res 1989 Apr; 222(4): 343-50 PMID: 2468082 UI: 89201299
Dimethylglycine (DMG) and the chemically related amino
acids glycine, sarcosine (monomethylglycine) and betaine
(trimethylglycine) were tested in Salmonella typhimurium
strain TA100 after treatment with sodium nitrite under acidic
conditions using a modified Ames Salmonella/microsome assay
as reported by Colman et al. (1980). The increase in the
number of revertants observed both with and without metabolic
activation was also induced in the control mixtures without
adding the amines. From the subsequent testing of the individual
components of the mixtures, we concluded that non-consumed
nitrite was responsible for the mutagenic responses observed
in the different reaction mixtures, and not the amines themselves.
There were no consistent indications of mutagenic activity
of the DMG test mixture as compared to the control mixture
which exhibited both consistent mutagenic activity and a
toxic effect which was not increased by the addition of
DMG. In fact, DMG seemed to decrease the toxicity of the
control reaction solution to the Salmonella which was clearly
observed at the higher doses. DMG cannot be considered mutagenic
under the test conditions employed. The same can be said
of the other amino acids as well.
Stimulation of the immune response by dimethylglycine,
a nontoxic metabolite.
Reap EA; Lawson JW. Department of Microbiology, Clemson
University, SC 29634-1909.
J Lab Clin Med 1990 Apr; 115(4): 481-6 PMID: 1691258 UI:
90217822
The immunomodulating capacities of dimethylglycine (DMG)
were examined in a rabbit model. Female New Zealand white
rabbits were immunized on day 0 and were given booster inoculations
on day 9 with either killed influenza virus or Salmonella
typhi vaccine. Experimental animals were force fed 20 mg/kg
body weight of DMG daily beginning 14 days prior to the
first inoculation and continuing throughout the experiment.
Control animals were force fed daily only distilled water.
Blood was obtained on day 0, day 9, and day 30. Hemagglutination
inhibition assays showed a more than fourfold increase in
mean antibody titer to influenza antigen in the DMG-treated
animals (p = 0.0006) after the first inoculation, and a
fourfold increase in mean titer after the booster inoculation
(p = 0.1000). A standard agglutination test for Salmonella
typhi O (somatic) and H (flagella) antigens was performed
on all sera from animals receiving the typhoid vaccine.
Mean antibody titers to the O antigen were significantly
higher (more than threefold) after the first inoculation
(p = 0.0302) and more than fivefold higher after the booster
inoculation (p = 0.0047) in DMG-treated animals. Mean antibody
titers to the H antigen were also higher in DMG-treated
animals compared with controls after both the first and
second inoculation. Lymphocyte transformation assays on
cells taken from DMG-treated animals immunized with the
influenza vaccine showed a tenfold increase in mean proliferative
response (p = 0.0024). Lymphocytes from DMG- treated animals
immunized with the typhoid vaccine showed a fourfold increase
(mean values) in thymidine uptake (p = 0.0180). No toxicity
or adverse effects were observed at any time during the
experiment.
Immunologic responses in healthy random-source cats fed
N,N- dimethylglycine-supplemented diets.
Weiss RC. Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary
Medicine, Auburn University, AL 36849. Am J Vet Res 1992
May; 53(5): 829-33 PMID: 1381880 UI: 92398180
The immunomodulatory capacities of N,N-dimethylglycine
(DMG) were examined in random-source cats. Blood mononuclear
leukocytes of healthy adult cats that had negative results
to tests for FeLV and feline immunodeficiency virus were
exposed in vitro to various concentrations of DMG (10 to
1,000 micrograms/ml) and were evaluated for proliferative
responses to T- or B-cell phytomitogens. Although increased,
mean lymphocyte blastogenic responses to phytolectins in
DMG-treated cultures did not differ significantly from responses
of untreated cultures. For in vivo studies, cats were given
a solution containing either 100 mg of DMG or a control
solution without DMG orally at 8 AM and 6 PM for 40 consecutive
days. On post-treatment day 24 and 25, mean blastogenic
responses to phytolectins in DMG-treated and control cats
inoculated 10 days earlier with an inactivated feline virus
vaccine were similar. Cats given DMG and inoculated twice
in a 3-week interval with a commercial vaccine containing
inactivated feline herpesvirus-1 and feline calicivirus
had significantly (P = 0.045) lower virus neutralizing serum
antibody titers against feline herpesvirus-1, compared with
titers of control cats, whereas feline calicivirus titers
were similar in both groups. On day 25, mean serum interferon
activity, induced after IV inoculation of Newcastle disease
virus, was significantly (P = 0.021) lower in the DMG-treated
cats. Results of this study of DMG in healthy cats failed
to demonstrate enhancement of either specific or nonspecific
immunity.
