Description
Cysteamine is an aminothiol that exhibits antioxidative, anti-metastatic, antidepressant, neuromodulatory, and antipsychotic activities. Cysteamine is used in research models to induce ulcer formation; clinically, it treats cystinosis and other disorders of cysteine excretion. Cysteamine is also a component used to form coenzyme A (CoA). In animal models of pancreatic cancer, cysteamine decreases activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and suppresses metastasis. Cysteamine decreases immobility time in animals undergoing the forced swim test and tail suspension test and increases levels of BDNF. This compound also displays potential benefit in pre-clinical models of schizophrenia. Additionally, cysteamine improves motor deficits and increases survival in animal models of Huntington’s disease.
References
Khomenko T, Deng X, Ahluwalia A, et al. STAT3 and importins are novel mediators of early molecular and cellular responses in experimental duodenal ulceration. Dig Dis Sci. 2014 Feb;59(2):297-306. PMID: 24385009.
Fujisawa T, Rubin B, Suzuki A, et al. Cysteamine suppresses invasion, metastasis and prolongs survival by inhibiting matrix metalloproteinases in a mouse model of human pancreatic cancer. PLoS One. 2012;7(4):e34437. PMID: 22532830.
Shieh CH, Hong CJ, Huang YH, et al. Potential antidepressant properties of cysteamine on hippocampal BDNF levels and behavioral despair in mice. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2008 Aug 1;32(6):1590-4. PMID: 18582526.
Pae CU, Lee C, Paik IH. Therapeutic possibilities of cysteamine in the treatment of schizophrenia. Med Hypotheses. 2007;69(1):199-202. PMID: 17166669.
Mao Z, Choo YS, Lesort M. Cystamine and cysteamine prevent 3-NP-induced mitochondrial depolarization of Huntington's disease knock-in striatal cells. Eur J Neurosci. 2006 Apr;23(7):1701-10. PMID: 16623826.
