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| Other names | ImP; 5-Imidazolepropionic acid; Imidazolylpropionic acid |
| Drug class | Imidazoline I1 receptor activator |
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| ECHA InfoCard | 100.012.769 |
| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C6H8N2O2 |
| Molar mass | 140.142 g·mol−1 |
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Imidazole propionate (ImP), also known as 5-imidazolepropionic acid, is a bacterial metabolite of histidine and a neurotoxin. [1] [2] [3] It is produced by Streptococcus mutans and its enzyme urocanate reductase (UrdA) in the gut. [1] S. mutans, as well as ImP production and circulating levels, have been found to be elevated in people with Parkinson's disease. [1] In addition, administration of ImP, or colonization with ImP-producing bacteria, causes dopaminergic neurotoxicity and Parkinson's disease-like symptoms in rodents. [1] Based on these findings, UrdA-expressing and ImP-producing bacteria may be involved in the etiology of Parkinson's disease in humans. [1] ImP has also been implicated in the pathophysiology of other diseases such as atherosclerosis, [4] [5] [6] diabetes, [7] and Alzheimer's disease, [8] among others. [9] [2] [10] ImP activates the imidazoline I1 receptor and this appears to be involved in some of its toxic effects. [6] [11] Relatedly, imidazoline I1 receptor antagonists have been proposed for possible therapeutic purposes. [6] [11]
