Betaine
- Atc Codes:A16AA06#A09AB02
- CAS Codes:107-43-7#590-46-5
- PHARMGKB ID:107-43-7#590-46-5
Table of contents
- Brand Names
- Drug Combinations
- Chemistry
- Pharmacologic Category
- Mechanism of Action
- Therapeutic Use
- Pregnancy and Lactation Implications
- Contraindications
- Warnings and Precautions
- Adverse Reactions
- Caution and personalized dose adjustment in patients with the following genotypes
- Other genes that may be involved
- Inhibits
- Drug Interactions
- Dosage
- Special Considerations
Brand Names
Europe
Austria: Cystadane; Belgium: Cystadane; Bulgaria: Cystadane; Cyprus: Cystadane; Czech Republic: Cystadane; Denmark: Cystadane; Estonia: Cystadane; Finland: Cystadane; France: Cystadane; Germany: Cystadane; Hungary: Cystadane; Ireland: Cystadane; Italy: Cystadane; Latvia: Cystadane; Lithuania: Cystadane; Luxembourg: Cystadane; Malta: Cystadane; Netherlands: Cystadane; Poland: Cystadane; Portugal: Cystadane; Romania: Cystadane; Slovakia: Cystadane; Slovenia: Cystadane; Spain: Cystadane; Sweden: Cystadane; UK: Cystadane.
North America
Canada: Cystadane. USA: Cystadane.
Drug combinations
Betaine: Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B~12~)
Chemistry
Betaine Anhydrous: C~7~H~16~N~2~O~4~. Mw: 192.21. (1) Trimethylammonio)acetate; (2) Trimethylammonio acetate-glycine (1:1). CAS-107-43-7.
Betaine Hydrochloride: C~5~H~11~NO~2~ HCl. Mw: 153.61. Methanaminium, 1-carboxy-N,N,N-trimethyl-, chloride. CAS-590-46-5.
Pharmacologic Category
Other Miscellaneous Therapeutic Agents. Natural Products, Miscellaneous (Betaine Hydrochloride). (ATC-Code: A16AA06; A09AB02).
Mechanism of action
Betaine acts as a methyl group donor in the remethylation of homocysteine to methionine and reduces homocystinuria in inborn errors of methionine metabolism. Betaine is effective in all 3 primary forms of homocystinuria (i.e. cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) deficiency, 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) deficiency, and cobalamin cofactor metabolism (CBL) defect). Betaine can also increase low plasma methionine and S-adenosylmethionine concentrations in MTHFR deficiency or CBL defect.
Therapeutic use
Treatment of homocystinuria (deficiencies or defects in CBS, MTHFR, and CBL). The form betaine hydrochloride is useful in cardiovascular disease (in homocystinuric patients), cholesterol levels, digestive aid (hypochlorhydria and achlorhydria), hyperhomocysteinemia, rosacea, steatohepatitis (nonalcoholic), weight loss.
Pregnancy and lactiation implications
Betaine should be given to a pregnant woman only if needed. Betaine is found naturally in human breast milk, but the influence from betaine therapy is unknown.
Unlabeled use
Contraindications
Hypersensitivity to betaine or any component of the formulation.
Warnings and precautions
Cerebral edema reported in hypermethioninemia. Treatment of CBS with betaine may further increase methionine serum levels (due to remethylation of homocysteine to methionine). Do not use in individuals with ulcers or in those taking medications that decrease stomach acid, such as H~2~ antagonists, antacids, and protein pump inhibitors. High doses may cause gastric irritation. Betaine in the form of cocamidopropylbetaine has been identified as a cause of contact allergy in some skin care products.