RESUMO
Taurine is a non-proteinogenic amino acid derived from cysteine. It is involved in several phenomena such as the regulation of growth and differentiation, osmoregulation, neurohormonal modulation, and lipid metabolism. Taurine is important because of its high levels in several tissues such as the central nervous system (CNS), heart, skeletal muscles, retinal membranes, and platelets. In this report, we present the functional properties of taurine indicating that it has potential effects on various metal toxicities. Therefore, a comprehensive literature review was performed using the Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases. According to the search keywords, 61 articles were included in the study. The results indicate that taurine protects tissues against metal toxicity through enhancement of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity, modulation of oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects, involvement in different molecular pathways, and interference with the activity of various enzymes. Taken together, taurine is a natural supplement that presents antitoxic effects against many types of compounds, especially metals, suggesting public consumption of this amino acid as a prophylactic agent against the incidence of metal toxicity.
RESUMO
Taurine, a non-essential amino acid produced from cysteine, is abundant in body tissues and blood plasma. It plays vital roles in growth, osmosis, lipid metabolism, and neurohormonal modulation. Taurine has antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory properties, and its deficiency can lead to various diseases including cardiovascular, diabetic, renal, and liver disorders. This report provides a comprehensive review of the functional properties of taurine in counteracting pharmaceutical-induced side effects. A search across databases such as Scopus, PubMed, MEDLINE, and Web of Science yielded 109 articles, of which 75 were included in the study. These results suggest that the protective effects of taurine involve mechanisms such as influencing pathways of Nrf2/OH-1, PI3-kinase/AKT and ERK2, boosting antioxidants (SOD, GPx and CAT), and suppression of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6). Overall, supplementation with taurine along with medications with significant side effects may mitigate these effects and enhance their efficacy. Further investigation of the interactions between taurine and other nutrients or compounds may provide insights into synergistic effects and novel therapeutic approaches.