Description
N,N-Dimethylglycine (DMG) is a N-methylated product of the amino acid glycine. It is found in beans and liver. It can be formed from trimethylglycine upon the loss of one of its methyl groups. It is also a byproduct of the metabolism of choline. When DMG was first discovered, it was referred to as vitamin B16, but, unlike true B vitamins, deficiency of DMG in the diet does not lead to any ill-effects meaning it does not meet the definition of a vitamin. It is used in comparative analysis with other N-methylated glycines. N,N-Dimethylglycine is used in the development of glycine-based ionic liquids and emulsifiers, and as a substrate to identify, differentiate and characterize amino acid methyltransferase(s). It is potentially useful as a biomarker of protein degradation in COPD patients.
Chemical Properties
white to slightly yellow crystalline powder
Uses
Dimethylglycine has been suggested for use as an athletic performance enhancer, immunostimulant, and a treatment for autism, epilepsy, or mitochondrial disease . Published studies on the subject have shown little to no difference between DMG treatment and placebo in autism spectrum disorders.
Application
N, N-dimethylglycine (DMG) is a tertiary amino acid that naturally occurs as an intermediate metabolite in choline-to-glycine metabolism. It has been suggested for use as an athletic performance enhancer, immunostimulant, and a treatment for autism, epilepsy, or mitochondrial disease . Published studies on the subject have shown little to no difference between DMG treatment and placebo in autism spectrum disorders.
Definition
ChEBI: An N-methylglycine that is glycine carrying two N-methyl substituents.
Preparation
N,N-Dimethylglycine is commercially available as the free form amino acid, and as the hydrochloride salt [2491-06-7 ]. DMG may be prepared by the alkylation of glycine via the Eschweiler–Clarke reaction. In this reaction, glycine is treated with aqueous formaldehyde in formic acid that serves as both solvent and reductant. Hydrochloric acid is added thereafter to give the hydrochloride salt. The free amino acid may been obtained by neutralization of the acid salt, which has been performed with silver oxide.
H2NCH2COOH + 2 CH2O + 2 HCOOH →(CH3)2NCH2COOH + 2 CO2 + 2 H2O.
General Description
N,N-Dimethylglycine is a type of quaternary ammonium compound which exhibits a variety of biological effects.
Biochem/physiol Actions
N,N-Dimethylglycine (DMG) is a natural N-methylated glycine that is used in comparative analysis with other N-methylated glycines such as sarcosine and βine. N,N-Dimethylglycine is used in the development of glycine-based ionic liquids and emulsifiers. N,N-Dimethylglycine is potentially useful as a biomarker of protein degradation in COPD patients. DMG is used as a substrate to identify, differentiate and characterize amino acid methyltransferase(s).
References
J. K. Kern, V. S. Miller, L. Cauller, R. Kendall, J. Mehta, M. Dodd, Effectiveness of N,N-Dimethylglycine in Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Journal of Child Neurology, 2001, vol. 16, pp. 169-173
