carnosine

Carnosine (L-Carnosine, CAS No.: 305-84-0) is a dipeptide antioxidant composed of β-alanine and L-histidine. It mainly exerts biological activity through antioxidant mechanisms in skeletal muscle, brain, and heart tissues, and can act as a metal chelator, forming complexes with copper, cobalt, nickel, cadmium, and zinc. In diabetic rats, dietary administration of L-carnosine (60 mg/kg/day) reduced plasma levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). In a rat intracerebral hemorrhage model, L-carnosine (1000 mg/kg) reduced brain edema, blood–brain barrier disruption, microglial activation, and neuronal apoptosis. In a bile duct ligation-induced cirrhosis model, intraperitoneal injection of L-carnosine (250–1000 mg/kg) alleviated hepatic protein carbonylation and necrosis. In addition, in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse lung injury model, L-carnosine reduced myeloperoxidase activity in lung tissue, reactive oxygen species production, and levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), while also alleviating alveolar hemorrhage, interstitial edema, and pulmonary leukocyte infiltration.