Pulmonary Hypertension & Vanderbilt = Citrulline

Citrulline Study Citrulline is an amino acid produced by the body. It’s also found in watermelon rind, cucumbers, zucchini and squash. Researchers have discovered that citrulline plays a key role in the body’s production of nitric oxide. Normally, when under stress, the body produces more citrulline, which leads to increased production of nitric oxide. For an unknown reason, production of citrulline is slowed or limited in some patients. Thus, they are unable to produce adequate levels of nitric oxide and are at risk for developing pulmonary hypertension.Researchers at Vanderbilt and other sites are testing the drug, Citrupress, an intravenous form of citrulline, for children needing heart-lung bypass during cardiac surgery. The drug was developed at Vanderbilt and derived from purified watermelon rind. It is given intravenously for up to two days following surgery. An earlier study found patients who received citrulline had lower rates of pulmonary hypertension compared to those who received a placebo treatment. Now, a larger, multi-national trial is underway to verify the effects of the drug. If the drug is eventually approved, it may also be useful to help dilate blood vessels for patients under other stressful conditions, like newborn persistent pulmonary hypertension, asthma and certain types of stroke. In addition to Vanderbilt, the citrulline study is taking place at the following U.S. sites: UCSF Children’s Hospital, San Francisco, CA Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital, Oak Lawn, ILRiley Children’s Hospital, Indianapolis, INSt. Louis Children’s Hospital, St. Louis, MO Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX For more information on the current study, log onto http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Type the trial identification number in the search box: NCT00335244.

It seems that Vanderbilt is always on the cutting edge ! Upper right is Dr. Ivan Robbins, who specializes in Pulmonary Hypertension at Vanderbilt.