Carnosine: A Possible Drug for Vascular Dementia

Carnosine (β–alanyl histidine) is a small dipeptide with numerous beneficial effects, including the maintenance of the acid–base balance, antioxidant, chelating, anti–crosslinking, and anti–glycation activities in the living organism. High levels of carnosine are found in the skeletal muscles and in the brain. We have found that carnosine inhibits Zn2+–induced neuronal death, which plays acrucial role in the pathogenesis of vascular dementia. Our previous research demonstrated that carnosine participates in the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)–stress pathway in Zn– induced neurotoxicity and we have applied for a patent related to drugs for Vascular Dementia (VD). Here, we review the roles of carnosine in VD and otherneuro degenerative diseases and discuss perspectives about the future therapeutic use ofthis dipeptide.