Creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid synthesized within the human body that is widely used as a dietary supplement to enhance athletic performance mostly related to its effect for increasing muscle growth. It is known through various studies that creatine has neuroprotective benefits, and provides alleviation for diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Pyroglutamic acid is a derivative of the amino acids glutamine and glutamic acid, and it is found in small amounts in the body as a by-product of the glutathione cycle. Various studies have shown that pyroglutamic acid has a role in improving cognitive functionality, which serves as a memory enhancer. Furthermore, pyroglutamic acid has an important role in maintaining the levels of acetylcholine, an organic chemical messenger that protects the brain from any harmful chemicals that may degrade an individual’s memory capabilities. We propose a novel salt composed of both creatine and pyroglutamic acid that combines the neuroprotective benefits of the individual compounds. The purpose of this research was to develop a method to synthesize creatine pyroglutamate by varying stoichiometry, acid/base character, and identity of solvent, and reaction time and temperature to maximize yield. The product obtained from the synthesis was characterized by NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Kinetic studies were performed on the synthetic product in order to determine its stability over time at different conditions of temperature.

Synthesis, NMR characterization, and kinetic studies of creatine pyroglutamate

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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