Glucuronolactone is a molecule commonly found as a component of energy drink formulations with surprisingly minimal research on it, given its societal usage.
Glucuronolactone is most often used for Energy & Fatigue.
1.
Sources and Stucture
1.2
Biological Significance
In vitro, D-glucuronolactone can be metabolized by a dehydrogenase into D-Glucaro-1,4-Lactone (G14L), where D-glucuronolactone appears to metabolize into a dilactone (d-glucaro-1,4-3,6-dilactone) and then spontaneously degrade into G14L.[3]
D-Glucaric acid is the main urinary metabolite of the glucuronic acid pathway,[4][5] which synthesizes Glucuronic Acid for the purposes of conjugation by drug metabolizing enzymes (UGT transferases). Daily urine output of D-Glucaric Acid is approximately 30-100umol.[6][7]
Glucuronolactone is a prodrug for the compound D-Glucaro-1,4-Lactone
In animals (non-primapes) that are capable of synthesizing ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) endogenously, glucuronolactone is used as a pre-requisite for ascorbic acid.[8]
Can be used to synthesize Vitamin C in creatures capable of this conversion, which are not humans
1.3
Enzymatic Interactions
D-Glucaro-1,4-Lactone (G14L) appears to be an inhibitor of the β-Glucuronidase enzyme.[3]
2.
Pharmacology
2.1
Metabolism
Glucuronolactone can be formed when glucuronic acid is degraded in subcritical water interchangeably.[9]
3.
Cardiovascular Health
3.1
Blood Flow
1,4-GL can be seen as protective for blood vessel health by alleviating oxidative/nitrative damage to lipoproteins from reactive species such as hydroperoxide and peroxynitrate, as well as acting as an anti-platelet aggregative compound.[10][11] It may be synergistic with resveratrol in this regard.[12]
When consuming an energy drink (80mg caffeine, 1000mg taurine, 800mg Glucuronolactone; sugar free with B-complex), an overall increase in platelet aggregation appears to occur in otherwise healthy persons with infrequent energy drink consumption.[13] Participants refrained from caffeine for a week prior to testing, and the contribution of Glucuronolactone towards the observed effects was not established.[13]
4.
Skeletal Muscle and Performance
4.1
Aerobic Exercise
One study injecting glucuronolactone (100mg/kg) intraperitoneally in rats immediately prior to a 30 minute swim and subsequent rest (the swim which was repeated three times, each with an injection prior to the swim) noted that glucuronolactone failed to affect time to exhaustion in the first swim but improved performance relative to saline in the second and third swim.[14]
