Phenylalanine

Category: amino-acid

Aliases: Phe, F, L-Phenylalanine

Pharmacological Mechanism

Hydroxylated by phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH, bh4 cycle-dependent) to tyrosine — the catecholamine synthesis precursor. PAH deficiency causes phenylketonuria (PKU). Precursor to adrenaline, norepinephrine, dopamine; also to melanin via tyrosinase.

Dosing Guidelines

• PO: Typical 2.33 g (Range: 2–3 g)

Target Organ Systems

• integumentary

Pathways It Modulates

• Phenylalanine metabolism (substrate) — PAH substrate → tyrosine; PKU substrate

Chemical Identifiers

• PubChem CID: 6140
• Formula: C9H11NO2
• Molecular weight: 165.19 g/mol
• InChIKey: COLNVLDHVKWLRT-QMMMGPOBSA-N
• SMILES: C1=CC=C(C=C1)C[C@@H](C(=O)O)N

References

• PMID 10837313