Kynurenine

Kynurenine is an amino acid that is produced in the body by the metabolism of the essential amino acid tryptophan.

ME/CFS
The Open Medicine Foundation's ME/CFS Severely Ill, Big Data Study found that patients in the study group with severe ME had one of several defects involving the IDO2 gene, which affected tryptophan - kynurenine metabolism. This lead to the Metabolic Trap theory.

Kynurenine is a neuroprotectant and a potential treatment. A clinical trial has been announced to investigate the effects of kynurenine, Robert Phair has stated the potential benefits of kynurenine in people with ME/CFS that may be:
 * reduced brain fog
 * reduced memory impairment, and
 * improvements in headache symptoms

Uppsala trial, Sweden
In April 2020, the Open Medicine Foundation announced a pilot treatment trial of kynurenine for ME/CFS. Dr Jonas Bergquist will be running the trial.

Trial type
Pilot trial, with cross-over at 3 months. Patients receiving the kynurenine will change to the placebo after 3 months, and patients receiving the placebo will switch to the kynurenine. No control group.

Aims
To see whether kynurenine improves cognitive impairment (brain fog), headaches and memory in ME/CFS patients.

Patients
Only 20 out of a group of 100 ME/CFS patients. Patients will be those identified as having a low level of kynurenine in blood serum and ME/CFS.

Outcomes
Measurements will be taken from wearable sensors.

Potential benefits
Kynurenine might be beneficial to ME/CFS patients; the Open Medicine Foundation's kynurenine trial aims to investigate this.

Learn more

 * Kynurenine - PubChem
 * L-Kynurenine - PubChem
 * Kynurenine clinical trial - Open Medicine Foundation