Chapter 24
Advances and Perspectives
of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
as a Bioactive Compound in Food
Priti Jain and Mangesh S. Ghodke
Abstract GABA is a novel potent bioactive amino acid, non-proteinaceous in
nature and comprising of four carbon units. Its role as an inhibitory neurotransmitter
of the neuronal cortex is well known and it had proven its effects on central nervous
system. Recent studies reveal that this neurotransmitter is also able to act as a
hypotensive agent, anti-diabetic and as tranquilizer. Besides this, GABA is also a
bioactive compound of food, pharmaceutical, and feed industries. It is present in
beans, pulses, milk, green, black, and oolong tea, as well as in fermented foods
including kefir, yogurt, and tempeh and other dairy products. It is normally synthesized in the plant from Glutamate and nowadays various advanced strategies are
being used for enhanced production of GABA. The reason for this may be
accounted for use of GABA as a supplement to treat high blood pressure, stress, and
anxiety, and sleep, as well as to stimulate the body's natural growth hormone, often
by athletes. This chapter would focus on the production of GABA, its effects on
humans as neurotransmitter along with the physiological effects being studied
recently. The chapter will also cover various types of food containing GABA and
later it deals with the strategies being adopted for large scale production of GABA.
Keywords Gamma-amino butyric acid Á Glutamate Á GAD Á Lactobacilli Á Lactic
acid bacteria Á Hypertension Á Neurodegeneration Á Obesity Á Anti-diabetic
24.1 Introduction
The human nervous system comprises of more than 40 neurotransmitters. Few have
excitatory roles while few have an inhibitory role. Out of them one of the important
neurotransmitter is Gamma aminobutyric acid. Gamma aminobutyric acid commonly known as GABA is an amino acid, non-proteinaceous in nature and comprising of four carbon atoms. It is predominating inhibitory neurotransmitter of the
P. Jain (&) Á M. S. Ghodke
R C Patel Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Shirpur 425405, India
e-mail: pmj.grv@gmail.com
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. Pal and A. K. Nayak (eds.), Bioactive Natural Products
for Pharmaceutical Applications, Advanced Structured Materials 140,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54027-2_24
819
Advances and Perspectives
of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
as a Bioactive Compound in Food
Priti Jain and Mangesh S. Ghodke
Abstract GABA is a novel potent bioactive amino acid, non-proteinaceous in
nature and comprising of four carbon units. Its role as an inhibitory neurotransmitter
of the neuronal cortex is well known and it had proven its effects on central nervous
system. Recent studies reveal that this neurotransmitter is also able to act as a
hypotensive agent, anti-diabetic and as tranquilizer. Besides this, GABA is also a
bioactive compound of food, pharmaceutical, and feed industries. It is present in
beans, pulses, milk, green, black, and oolong tea, as well as in fermented foods
including kefir, yogurt, and tempeh and other dairy products. It is normally synthesized in the plant from Glutamate and nowadays various advanced strategies are
being used for enhanced production of GABA. The reason for this may be
accounted for use of GABA as a supplement to treat high blood pressure, stress, and
anxiety, and sleep, as well as to stimulate the body's natural growth hormone, often
by athletes. This chapter would focus on the production of GABA, its effects on
humans as neurotransmitter along with the physiological effects being studied
recently. The chapter will also cover various types of food containing GABA and
later it deals with the strategies being adopted for large scale production of GABA.
Keywords Gamma-amino butyric acid Á Glutamate Á GAD Á Lactobacilli Á Lactic
acid bacteria Á Hypertension Á Neurodegeneration Á Obesity Á Anti-diabetic
24.1 Introduction
The human nervous system comprises of more than 40 neurotransmitters. Few have
excitatory roles while few have an inhibitory role. Out of them one of the important
neurotransmitter is Gamma aminobutyric acid. Gamma aminobutyric acid commonly known as GABA is an amino acid, non-proteinaceous in nature and comprising of four carbon atoms. It is predominating inhibitory neurotransmitter of the
P. Jain (&) Á M. S. Ghodke
R C Patel Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Shirpur 425405, India
e-mail: pmj.grv@gmail.com
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. Pal and A. K. Nayak (eds.), Bioactive Natural Products
for Pharmaceutical Applications, Advanced Structured Materials 140,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54027-2_24
819