Facile Syntheses of L-α-Glycerophosphorylcholine

摘要

As people age, numerous disorders involving brain metabolism, regional blood supply and neurotransmitter availability often occur. These conditions lead to progressive deterioration of memory formation and retention representing the main attributes of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common adult-onset cognitive disorder and major public health problem. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia and is characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive function due to damage or disease in the brain beyond what may be expected from normal aging. The oldest hypothesis for AD suggests that the disease occurs due to reduced biosynthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. In view of this, several clinical studies have shown the therapeutic usefulness and efficacy of choline alfoscerate, also known as L-α-glycerophosphoryl-choline (GPC) (1), as a cholinergic precursor. GPC was examined for its use in the treatment of cerebrovascular disease, reduction of senile dementia (cognitive dysfunction), improvement in learning ability and promotion of non-REM sleep. The broad application of GPC in medical treatments, as well as its application in cosmetics as an active whitening ingredient, make its synthesis medicinally and industrially important.