1.0 2010-04-08 22:05:41 UTC 2025-11-18 22:48:25 UTC FDB003191 Taurine Essential nutrient obtained from diet and by in vivo synthysis from methionine and cysteine. Present in meats, fish, legumes, human milk, molluscs and other foods. Dietary supplement, e.g. in Red Bull drink. Taurine is a sulfur amino acid like methionine, cystine, cysteine and homocysteine. It is a lesser-known amino acid because it is not incorporated into the structural building blocks of protein. Yet taurine is an essential amino acid in pre-term and newborn infants of humans and many other species. Adults can synthesize their own taurine, yet are probably dependent in part on dietary taurine. Taurine is abundant in the brain, heart, breast, gallbladder and kidney and has important roles in health and disease in these organs. Taurine has many diverse biological functions serving as a neurotransmitter in the brain, a stabilizer of cell membranes and a facilitator in the transport of ions such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Taurine is highly concentrated in animal and fish protein, which are good sources of dietary taurine. It can be synthesized by the body from cysteine when vitamin B6 is present. Deficiency of taurine occurs in premature infants and neonates fed formula milk, and in various disease states. Inborn errors of taurine metabolism have been described. OMIM 168605, an unusual neuropsychiatric disorder inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion through 3 generations of a family. Symptoms began late in the fifth decade in 6 affected persons and death occurred after 4 to 6 years. The earliest and most prominent symptom was mental depression not responsive to antidepressant drugs or electroconvulsive therapy. Sleep disturbances, exhaustion and marked weight loss were features. Parkinsonism developed later, and respiratory failure occurred terminally. OMIM 145350 describes congestive cardiomyopathy and markedly elevated urinary taurine levels (about 5 times normal). Other family members had late or holosystolic mitral valve prolapse and elevated urinary taurine values (about 2.5 times normal). In 2 with mitral valve prolapse, congestive cardiomyopathy eventually developed while the amounts of urinary taurine doubled. Taurine, after GABA, is the second most important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. Its inhibitory effect is one source of taurine's anticonvulsant and antianxiety properties. It also lowers glutamic acid in the brain, and preliminary clinical trials suggest taurine may be useful in some forms of epilepsy. Taurine in the brain is usually associated with zinc or manganese. The amino acids alanine and glutamic acid, as well as pantothenic acid, inhibit taurine metabolism while vitamins A and B6, zinc and manganese help build taurine. Cysteine and B6 are the nutrients most directly involved in taurine synthesis. Taurine levels have been found to decrease significantly in many depressed patients. One reason that the findings are not entirely clear is because taurine is often elevated in the blood of epileptics who need it. It is often difficult to distinguish compensatory changes in human biochemistry from true metabolic or deficiency disease. Low levels of taurine are found in retinitis pigmentosa. Taurine deficiency in experimental animals produces degeneration of light-sensitive cells. Therapeutic applications of taurine to eye disease are likely to be forthcoming. Taurine has many important metabolic roles. Supplements can stimulate prolactin and insulin release. The parathyroid gland makes a peptide hormone called glutataurine (glutamic acid-taurine), which further demonstrates taurine's role in endocrinology. Taurine increases bilirubin and cholesterol excretion in bile, critical to normal gallbladder function. It seems to inhibit the effect of morphine and potentiates the effects of opiate antagonists. Low plasma taurine levels have been found in a variety of conditions, i.e., depression, hypertension, hypothyroidism, gout, institutionalized patients, infertility, obesity, kidney failure and others. (http://www.dcnutrition.com/AminoAcids/); Taurine is an essential dietary requirement for feline health, since cats cannot synthesize the compound. The absence of taurine causes a cat's retina to slowly degenerate, causing eye problems and (eventually) irreversible blindness ? a condition known as central retinal degeneration (CRD), as well as hair loss and tooth decay. It was discovered in 1987 that taurine deficiency can also cause feline dilated cardiomyopathy. Unlike CRD, the condition is reversible with supplementation. Taurine is now a requirement of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and any dry or wet food product labeled approved by the AAFCO should have a minimum of 0.1% taurine in dry food and 0.2% in wet food.; Taurine, or 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, is an organic acid. It is also a major constituent of bile and can be found in the lower intestine and in small amounts in the tissues of many animals, including humans. Taurine is a derivative of the sulfur-containing (sulfhydryl) amino acid, cysteine. Taurine is one of the few known naturally occurring sulfonic acids. &beta;-aminoethylsulfonic acid 1-Aminoethane-2-sulfonate 1-Aminoethane-2-sulfonic acid 2-Aminoethanesulfonate 2-Aminoethanesulfonic acid 2-Aminoethanesulphonate 2-Aminoethanesulphonic acid 2-aminoethyl sulfonate 2-Aminoethyl sulfonic acid 2-Aminoethyl sulphonate 2-Aminoethyl sulphonic acid 2-Aminoethylsulfonate 2-Aminoethylsulfonic acid 2-Sulfoethylamine Aminoethanesulfonic acid Aminoethylsulfonate Aminoethylsulfonic acid Aminoethylsulfonic acid (jan) Aminoethylsulphonate Aminoethylsulphonic acid Aminoetylsulphonic acid B-aminoethylsulfonate B-aminoethylsulfonic acid b-Aminoethylsulphonate b-Aminoethylsulphonic acid Beta-aminoethylsulfonate Beta-aminoethylsulfonic acid beta-Aminoethylsulphonate beta-Aminoethylsulphonic acid Ethanesulfonic acid, 2-amino- Ethanesulfonic acid, 2-amino- (9CI) Ethylaminesulfonic acid Ethylaminesulphonic acid FEMA 3813 L-taurine O-due TAU Taufon Taukard Tauphon Taurine Taurine (8CI) Taurine (JP15/USP/INN) Taurine (TN) Taurine [inn] Taurine, 8CI, INN β-aminoethylsulfonate β-aminoethylsulfonic acid β-aminoethylsulphonate β-aminoethylsulphonic acid C2H7NO3S 125.147 125.014663785 2-aminoethane-1-sulfonic acid taurine 107-35-7 NCCS(O)(=O)=O InChI=1S/C2H7NO3S/c3-1-2-7(4,5)6/h1-3H2,(H,4,5,6) XOAAWQZATWQOTB-UHFFFAOYSA-N belongs to the class of organic compounds known as organosulfonic acids. Organosulfonic acids are compounds containing the sulfonic acid group, which has the general structure RS(=O)2OH (R is not a hydrogen atom). Organosulfonic acids Organic compounds Organic acids and derivatives Organic sulfonic acids and derivatives Organosulfonic acids and derivatives Aliphatic acyclic compounds Alkanesulfonic acids Hydrocarbon derivatives Monoalkylamines Organic oxides Organopnictogen compounds Sulfonyls Aliphatic acyclic compound Alkanesulfonic acid Amine Hydrocarbon derivative Organic nitrogen compound Organic oxide Organic oxygen compound Organonitrogen compound Organopnictogen compound Organosulfonic acid Organosulfur compound Primary aliphatic amine Primary amine Sulfonyl amino sulfonic acid Solid logp -2.19 ALOGPS logs -0.08 ALOGPS solubility 1.05e+02 g/l ALOGPS melting_point Mp 328° (320-325° dec.) logp -2.6 ChemAxon pka_strongest_acidic -1.5 ChemAxon pka_strongest_basic 9.34 ChemAxon iupac 2-aminoethane-1-sulfonic acid ChemAxon average_mass 125.147 ChemAxon mono_mass 125.014663785 ChemAxon smiles NCCS(O)(=O)=O ChemAxon formula C2H7NO3S ChemAxon inchi InChI=1S/C2H7NO3S/c3-1-2-7(4,5)6/h1-3H2,(H,4,5,6) ChemAxon inchikey XOAAWQZATWQOTB-UHFFFAOYSA-N ChemAxon polar_surface_area 80.39 ChemAxon refractivity 24.61 ChemAxon polarizability 10.82 ChemAxon rotatable_bond_count 2 ChemAxon acceptor_count 4 ChemAxon donor_count 2 ChemAxon physiological_charge 0 ChemAxon formal_charge 0 ChemAxon Bile Acid Biosynthesis SMP00035 map00120 Taurine and Hypotaurine Metabolism SMP00021 map00430 Specdb::EiMs 1313 Specdb::NmrTwoD 1007 Specdb::NmrTwoD 1238 Specdb::MsIr 352 Specdb::MsIr 353 Specdb::MsIr 354 Specdb::MsMs 430 Specdb::MsMs 431 Specdb::MsMs 432 Specdb::MsMs 3742 Specdb::MsMs 3743 Specdb::MsMs 3744 Specdb::MsMs 3745 Specdb::MsMs 3746 Specdb::MsMs 3747 Specdb::MsMs 3748 Specdb::MsMs 3749 Specdb::MsMs 3750 Specdb::MsMs 3751 Specdb::MsMs 3752 Specdb::MsMs 3753 Specdb::MsMs 3754 Specdb::MsMs 3755 Specdb::MsMs 3756 Specdb::MsMs 3757 Specdb::MsMs 3758 Specdb::MsMs 3759 Specdb::MsMs 3760 Specdb::MsMs 3761 Specdb::MsMs 3762 Specdb::MsMs 3763 Specdb::CMs 487 Specdb::CMs 488 Specdb::CMs 489 Specdb::CMs 2519 Specdb::CMs 30234 Specdb::CMs 30698 Specdb::CMs 30763 Specdb::CMs 32381 Specdb::CMs 32383 Specdb::CMs 166328 Specdb::NmrOneD 1218 Specdb::NmrOneD 1277 Specdb::NmrOneD 2107 Specdb::NmrOneD 4964 Specdb::NmrOneD 6272 Specdb::NmrOneD 6273 Specdb::NmrOneD 6274 Specdb::NmrOneD 6275 Specdb::NmrOneD 6276 Specdb::NmrOneD 6277 Specdb::NmrOneD 6278 Specdb::NmrOneD 6279 Specdb::NmrOneD 6280 Specdb::NmrOneD 6281 Specdb::NmrOneD 6282 Specdb::NmrOneD 6283 Specdb::NmrOneD 6284 Specdb::NmrOneD 6285 Specdb::NmrOneD 6286 Specdb::NmrOneD 6287 Specdb::NmrOneD 6288 Specdb::NmrOneD 6289 Specdb::NmrOneD 6290 Specdb::NmrOneD 6291 Specdb::NmrOneD 166456 HMDB00251 15891 TAU #<Reference:0x000055ce3311b870> #<Reference:0x000055ce3311b640> #<Reference:0x000055ce3311b410> #<Reference:0x000055ce3311b0f0> #<Reference:0x000055ce3311aec0> #<Reference:0x000055ce3311ad08> #<Reference:0x000055ce3311a9e8> #<Reference:0x000055ce3311a718> #<Reference:0x000055ce3311a560> #<Reference:0x000055ce3311a3a8> #<Reference:0x000055ce3311a1f0> #<Reference:0x000055ce33119fc0> #<Reference:0x000055ce33119e08> #<Reference:0x000055ce33119b38> #<Reference:0x000055ce33119890> #<Reference:0x000055ce33119610> #<Reference:0x000055ce33119458> #<Reference:0x000055ce331192a0> #<Reference:0x000055ce33119098> #<Reference:0x000055ce33118e90> #<Reference:0x000055ce33118c88> Anatidae Type 1 specific Anatidae 8830 Barley Type 1 specific Hordeum vulgare 4513 9.309455 9.31 9.308910112 mg/100 g Beefalo Type 1 specific Bos taurus X Bison bison 297284 Bison Type 1 specific Bison bison 9901 Broccoli Type 1 specific Brassica oleracea var. italica 36774 0.23 0.23 0.23 mg/100 g Buffalo Type 1 specific Bubalus bubalis 89462 Carrot Type 1 specific Daucus carota ssp. sativus 79200 0.92 0.92 0.92 mg/100 g Cattle (Beef, Veal) Type 1 specific Bos taurus 9913 Chicken Type 1 specific Gallus gallus 9031 Columbidae (Dove, Pigeon) Type 1 specific Columbidae 8930 Cow milk, pasteurized, vitamin A + D added, 0% fat Type 2 specific Cow milk, pasteurized, vitamin A + D added, 1% fat Type 2 specific Cow milk, pasteurized, vitamin A + D added, 2% fat Type 2 specific Cow milk, pasteurized, vitamin D added, 3.25% fat Type 2 specific Cucumber Type 1 specific Cucumis sativus 3659 0.03 0.03 0.03 mg/100 g Deer Type 1 specific Cervidae 9850 Dill Type 1 specific Anethum graveolens 40922 0.31 0.31 0.31 mg/100 g Domestic goat Type 1 specific Capra aegagrus hircus 9925 Domestic pig Type 1 specific Sus scrofa domestica 9825 Eggplant Type 1 specific Solanum melongena 4111 0.63 0.63 0.63 mg/100 g Elk Type 1 specific Cervus canadensis 1574408 Emu Type 1 specific Dromaius novaehollandiae 8790 European rabbit Type 1 specific Oryctolagus 9984 Garden onion Type 1 specific Allium cepa 4679 0.1 0.1 0.1 mg/100 g Green bean Type 1 specific Phaseolus vulgaris 3885 0.28 0.28 0.28 mg/100 g Green bell pepper Type 1 specific Capsicum annuum 4072 0.2 0.2 0.2 mg/100 g Green zucchini Type 1 specific Cucurbita pepo var. cylindrica 0.21 0.21 0.21 mg/100 g Greylag goose Type 1 specific Anser anser 8843 Guinea hen Type 1 specific Numida meleagris 8996 Horse Type 1 specific Equus caballus 9796 Irish moss Type 1 specific Chondrus crispus 2769 Japanese pumpkin Type 1 specific Cucurbita maxima 3661 0.28 0.28 0.28 mg/100 g Mallard duck Type 1 specific Anas platyrhynchos 8839 Milk (Cow) Type 2 specific 107.833333 474.0 20.0 uM Mountain hare Type 1 specific Lepus timidus 62621 Mule deer Type 1 specific Odocoileus 9871 Nanking cherry Type 1 specific Prunus tomentosa 105667 0.4 0.4 0.4 mg/100 g Oat Type 1 specific Avena sativa 4498 18.22 18.22 18.22 mg/100 g Orange bell pepper Type 1 specific Capsicum annuum 4072 1.13 1.13 1.13 mg/100 g Ostrich Type 1 specific Struthio camelus 8801 Parsley Type 1 specific Petroselinum crispum 4043 Parsnip Type 1 specific Pastinaca sativa 4041 0.281719 0.28343831 0.28 mg/100 g Pheasant Type 1 specific Phasianus colchicus 9054 Potato Type 1 specific Solanum tuberosum 4113 0.2 0.2 0.2 mg/100 g Quail Type 1 specific Phasianidae 9005 Rabbit Type 1 specific Leporidae 9979 Red beetroot Type 1 specific Beta vulgaris var. rubra 0.3 0.3 0.3 mg/100 g Red bell pepper Type 1 specific Capsicum annuum 4072 0.537865 0.54 0.535729825 mg/100 g Rock ptarmigan Type 1 specific Lagopus muta 64668 Romaine lettuce Type 1 specific Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia 0.1 0.1 0.1 mg/100 g Rye Type 1 specific Secale cereale 4550 16.69 23.57 9.81 mg/100 g Saskatoon berry Type 1 specific Amelanchier alnifolia 32219 0.4 0.4 0.4 mg/100 g Sheep (Mutton, Lamb) Type 1 specific Ovis aries 9940 Shiitake Type 1 specific Lentinus edodes 5353 Soft-necked garlic Type 1 specific Allium sativum L. var. sativum 4682 Spinach Type 1 specific Spinacia oleracea 3562 0.11 0.11 0.11 mg/100 g Squab Type 1 specific Columba 8931 Sunburst squash (pattypan squash) Type 1 specific Cucurbita pepo var. clypeata 0.08 0.08 0.08 mg/100 g Swiss chard Type 1 specific Beta vulgaris ssp. cicla 1527200 2.331959 2.333917436 2.33 mg/100 g Turkey Type 1 specific Meleagris gallopavo 9103 Turnip Type 1 specific Brassica rapa var. rapa 51350 0.03 0.03 0.03 mg/100 g Velvet duck Type 1 specific Melanitta fusca 371864 Wheat Type 1 specific Triticum 4564 17.110928 17.11185577 17.11 mg/100 g White cabbage Type 1 specific Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata L. f. alba DC. 0.09 0.09 0.09 mg/100 g Wild boar Type 1 specific Sus scrofa 9823 Yellow bell pepper Type 1 specific Capsicum annuum 4072 0.53 0.53 0.53 mg/100 g Yellow wax bean Type 1 specific Phaseolus vulgaris 3885 0.6 0.6 0.6 mg/100 g Yellow zucchini Type 1 specific Cucurbita pepo var. cylindrica 0.18 0.18 0.18 mg/100 g bitter bland Bile acid-CoA:amino acid N-acyltransferase Q14032 BAAT Cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase Q9Y600 CSAD Gamma-glutamyltransferase 5 P36269 GGT5 Gamma-glutamyltransferase 6 Q6P531 GGT6 Gamma-glutamyltransferase 7 Q9UJ14 GGT7 Gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase 1 P19440 GGT1 Glutamate decarboxylase 1 Q99259 GAD1 Glutamate decarboxylase 2 Q05329 GAD2 Anti corneitic 205 Anti-hemolytic 319 Drug that acts on blood and blood-forming organs and those that affect the hemostatic system. Anti-oxidant 502 A substance that opposes oxidation or inhibits reactions brought about by dioxygen or peroxides. In European countries, E-numbers for permitted antioxidant food additives are from E 300 to E 324. Cancer preventive 754 A substance that inhibits or prevents the proliferation of neoplasms. Cardiac 764 A drug used for the treatment or prevention of cardiac arrhythmias. Anti-arrhythmia drugs may affect the polarisation-repolarisation phase of the action potential, its excitability or refractoriness, or impulse conduction or membrane responsiveness within cardiac fibres. Hypocholesterolemic 1016