Abstract
Glutamin, a non-essential amino acid, has many functions in the intermediary metabolism. Both its extracellular and particularly intracellular concentrations are much higher than concentrations of other amino acids.
Glutamine serves as the energy substrate for rapidly dividing cells (e. g. enterocytes, leucocytes), participates in the regulation of acid-base balance, plays an important role in the energy metabolism of the CNS and serves as a precursor of oxygen radical scavenger as well. Intracellular glutamine concentration in the sceletal muscle has major influence on the rate of proteosynthesis/proteolysis.
Due to chemical instability, glutamine concentration in "balanced" amino acid solutions is too low to satisfy patients' needs in some clinical situations. Therefore, indications of glutamine dipeptides in TPN or EN are to be established, in particular when hypercatabolism, immunosuppression or GIT failure occur.