Neurotransmitter precursors

thumb|Glutamine ball and stick model spinning Glutamine (symbol Gln or Q) is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. Its side chain is similar to that of glutamic acid, except the carboxylic acid group is replaced by an amide. It is classified as a charge-neutral, polar amino acid. It is non-essential and conditionally essential in humans, meaning the body can usually synthesize sufficient amounts of it, but in some instances of stress, the body's demand for glutamine increases, and glutamine must be obtained from the diet. It is encoded by the codons CAA and CAG. It is n

Choline is a cation with the chemical formula . Choline forms various salts, such as choline chloride and choline bitartrate. An essential nutrient for animals, it is a structural component of phospholipids and cell membranes.

class=skin-invert-image|thumb|300px|POPC, an example of a [[phosphatidylcholine, a type of phospholipid in lecithin. Shown in – choline residue and phosphate group; – glycerol residue; – monounsaturated fatty acid residue; – saturated fatty acid residue.]] thumb|The different forms of lecithin – powder, two different concentration liquids, granular and powder lecithin

1,4-Butanediol, also called butane-1,4-diol (other names include 1,4-B, BD, BDO, and 1,4-BD), is a primary alcohol and an organic compound with the formula HOCH2CH2CH2CH2OH. It is a colorless viscous liquid first synthesized in 1890 via acidic hydrolysis of N,N'-dinitro-1,4-butanediamine by Dutch chemist Pieter Johannes Dekkers, who called it "tetramethylene glycol".

300px|thumb|right|class=skin-invert-image|1-Oleoyl-2-palmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine

γ-Butyrolactone (GBL) or '''gamma-butyrolactone''' is an organic compound with the formula . It is a hygroscopic, colorless, water-miscible liquid with a pleasant odor. It is the simplest 4-carbon lactone. It is mainly used as an intermediate in the production of other chemicals, such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone.

Citicoline (INN), also known as cytidine diphosphate-choline (CDP-choline) or '''cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine''' is an intermediate in the generation of phosphatidylcholine from choline, a common biochemical process in cell membranes. Citicoline is naturally occurring in the cells of human and animal tissue, in particular the organs.

L-α-Glycerophosphorylcholine (alpha-GPC, choline alfoscerate, '''sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine''') is a natural choline compound found in the brain. It is also a parasympathomimetic acetylcholine precursor which has been investigated for its potential for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

Aceglutamide (brand name Neuramina), or aceglutamide aluminium (brand name Glumal), also known as acetylglutamine, is a psychostimulant, nootropic, and antiulcer agent that is marketed in Spain and Japan. It is an acetylated form of the amino acid L-glutamine, the precursor of glutamate in the body and brain. Aceglutamide functions as a prodrug to glutamine with improved potency and stability.

Picamilon (also known as '''N-nicotinoyl-GABA, pycamilon, and pikamilon''') is a drug formed by a synthetic combination of niacin and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). It was developed in the Soviet Union in 1969 and further studied in both Russia and Japan as a prodrug of GABA.

chemical compound

Progabide, sold under the brand name Gabrene, is a GABA receptor agonist which is used in the treatment of epilepsy. It is an analogue of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and acts both via a metabolite and as a prodrug of GABA, in turn behaving as an agonist of the GABA receptors.