Citrulline as a nutraceutical protects against eCM.

Groups (n = 5) of mice were injected i.v. with PbA and then injected twice daily ip with citrulline (nutraceutical) or saline. (A): survival, (B): parasitemia (mean % ± stderr) timecourse, and (C): clinical scores of citrulline- and saline-injected mice infected with PbA. This experiment was repeated 4 times with similar results. Citrulline; Arginine (D): Vascular leak into brain measured by Evans Blue dye extrusion into brain parenchyma in groups (n = 5) of mice on day 6 PI (eCM) treated with citrulline as a nutraceutical or vehicle controls. Inset: representative images of brains after Evans Blue extrusion. This experiment was repeated with similar results. (E): Average pixel intensity PET brain images in groups (n = 5) mice infected with PbA and treated with citrulline nutraceutical or saline and compared with uninfected controls. This experiment was performed once. : p(F): Brain GSSG:GSH ratios in groups (n = 5) of mice infected with PbA and treated with Citrulline or saline twice daily i.p and compared to uninfected, untreated controls. Analysis performed by Metabolon inc (Morrisville, NC) using mass spectrometry.