As repeatedly mentioned in the current book, taurine (TAU) is a very
hydrophilic molecule. Hence, the passage of this amino acid through the physiological
barriers (e.g., blood-brain barrier; BBB) is weak. In this context, experimental and
clinical studies that mentioned the positive effects of TAU on CNS disorders
administered a high dose of this amino acid (e.g., 12 g/day). For example, in an animal
model of hepatic encephalopathy, we administered 1 g/kg of TAU to hyperammonemic
rats to preserve their brain energy status and normalize their locomotor activity. In
some cases, where anticonvulsant effects of TAU were evaluated; also, and a high dose
of this amino acid was used (150 mg/kg). In other circumstances, such as investigations
on the reproductive system, the blood-testis barrier (BTB) could act as an obstacle to
the bioavailability of TAU. On the other hand, recent studies mentioned the importance
of targeted delivery of molecules to organelles such as mitochondria. These data
mention the importance of appropriate formulations of this amino acid to target brain
tissue as well as cellular mitochondria. Perhaps, TAU failed to show significant and
optimum therapeutic effects against human disease (e.g., neurological disorders)
because of its inappropriate drug delivery system. Therefore, targeting tissues such as
the brain with appropriate TAU-containing formulations is critical. The current chapter
discusses possible formulations for bypassing physiological barriers (e.g., blood-brain
barrier; BBB or BTB) and effectively targeting subcellular compartments with TAU.
These data could help develop effective formulations for managing human diseases
(e.g., CNS disorders or infertility issues in men).
Keywords: Amino acid, Drug delivery, Drug therapy, Mitochondria, Mitochondria-targeted antioxidants, Oxidative stress.
