Agmatine is the decarboxylation product formed during the metabolization of arginine. As a clonidine-displacing substance, it binds to α₂-adrenergic and imidazoline receptors and stimulates the release of catecholamines from adrenal chromaffin cells. Agmatine inhibits cell proliferation and improves renal function in anti-Thy-1glomerulonephritis. It acts as an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (Auguet et al., Demady et al.). Gong et al. showed that agmatine exerts a significant anxiolytic effect in rats and mice.
CAS Number (net): 306-60-5.