Biomaterial Database

Can aspartame meet our expectations? 1983

D L Horwitz, and J K Bauer-Nehrling

Aspartame is a dipeptide containing aspartic acid and phenylalanine methyl ester. It is a nutritive sweetener with a caloric value equivalent to that of other proteins and with sweetness approximately 180 times that of sucrose. Thus, for equivalent sweetening power, it contributes only 0.5% of the kilocalories of sugar. Numerous studies have shown no potential toxicity of amounts of aspartame likely to be ingested, or even of abuse doses. Although aspartame cannot fully replace sugar, it appears to be a safe and acceptable sweetener for those who must, or desire to, reduce their intake of sucrose.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010661	Phenylketonurias	A group of autosomal recessive disorders marked by a deficiency of the hepatic enzyme PHENYLALANINE HYDROXYLASE or less frequently by reduced activity of DIHYDROPTERIDINE REDUCTASE (i.e., atypical phenylketonuria). Classical phenylketonuria is caused by a severe deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase and presents in infancy with developmental delay; SEIZURES; skin HYPOPIGMENTATION; ECZEMA; and demyelination in the central nervous system. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p952).	Biopterin Deficiency,Dihydropteridine Reductase Deficiency Disease,Hyperphenylalaninemia, Non-Phenylketonuric,Phenylalanine Hydroxylase Deficiency Disease,BH4 Deficiency,DHPR Deficiency,Deficiency Disease, Dihydropteridine Reductase,Deficiency Disease, Phenylalanine Hydroxylase,Deficiency Disease, Phenylalanine Hydroxylase, Severe,Dihydropteridine Reductase Deficiency,Folling Disease,Folling's Disease,HPABH4C,Hyperphenylalaninaemia,Hyperphenylalaninemia Caused by a Defect in Biopterin Metabolism,Hyperphenylalaninemia, BH4-Deficient, C,Hyperphenylalaninemia, Tetrahydrobiopterin-Deficient, Due To DHPR Deficiency,Non-Phenylketonuric Hyperphenylalaninemia,Oligophrenia Phenylpyruvica,PAH Deficiency,PKU, Atypical,Phenylalanine Hydroxylase Deficiency,Phenylalanine Hydroxylase Deficiency Disease, Severe,Phenylketonuria,Phenylketonuria I,Phenylketonuria II,Phenylketonuria Type 2,Phenylketonuria, Atypical,Phenylketonuria, Classical,QDPR Deficiency,Quinoid Dihydropteridine Reductase Deficiency,Tetrahydrobiopterin Deficiency,Atypical PKU,Atypical Phenylketonuria,Biopterin Deficiencies,Classical Phenylketonuria,Deficiency, BH4,Deficiency, Biopterin,Deficiency, DHPR,Deficiency, Dihydropteridine Reductase,Deficiency, PAH,Deficiency, Phenylalanine Hydroxylase,Deficiency, QDPR,Deficiency, Tetrahydrobiopterin,Disease, Folling,Disease, Folling's,Hyperphenylalaninemia, Non Phenylketonuric,Non Phenylketonuric Hyperphenylalaninemia,Non-Phenylketonuric Hyperphenylalaninemias
D004038	Diet, Reducing	A diet designed to cause an individual to lose weight.	Weight Loss Diet,Weight Reduction Diet,Diet, Weight Loss,Diet, Weight Reduction,Diets, Reducing,Diets, Weight Loss,Diets, Weight Reduction,Reducing Diet,Reducing Diets,Weight Loss Diets,Weight Reduction Diets
D004151	Dipeptides	Peptides composed of two amino acid units.	Dipeptide
D004341	Drug Evaluation	Any process by which toxicity, metabolism, absorption, elimination, preferred route of administration, safe dosage range, etc., for a drug or group of drugs is determined through clinical assessment in humans or veterinary animals.	Evaluation Studies, Drug,Drug Evaluation Studies,Drug Evaluation Study,Drug Evaluations,Evaluation Study, Drug,Evaluation, Drug,Evaluations, Drug,Studies, Drug Evaluation,Study, Drug Evaluation
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001218	Aspartame	Flavoring agent sweeter than sugar, metabolized as PHENYLALANINE and ASPARTIC ACID.	Aspartylphenylalanine Methyl Ester,Canderel,Goldswite,Hermesetas Gold,Methyl Aspartylphenylalanine,Milisucre,Nozucar,NutraSweet,SC-18862,Tri-Sweet,Aspartylphenylalanine, Methyl,Gold, Hermesetas,Methyl Ester, Aspartylphenylalanine,SC 18862,SC18862,Tri Sweet,TriSweet
D013329	Structure-Activity Relationship	The relationship between the chemical structure of a compound and its biological or pharmacological activity. Compounds are often classed together because they have structural characteristics in common including shape, size, stereochemical arrangement, and distribution of functional groups.	Relationship, Structure-Activity,Relationships, Structure-Activity,Structure Activity Relationship,Structure-Activity Relationships
D013549	Sweetening Agents	Substances that sweeten food, beverages, medications, etc., such as sugar, saccharine or other low-calorie synthetic products. (From Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed)	Artificial Sweeteners,Sugar Substitutes,Sweeteners,Agent, Sweetening,Agents, Sweetening,Artificial Sweetener,Substitute, Sugar,Substitutes, Sugar,Sugar Substitute,Sweetener,Sweetener, Artificial,Sweeteners, Artificial,Sweetening Agent