Changes

==L-theanine==

==L-theanine==

Naturally found in green tea L-theanine is used to help treat anxiety. It is thought to increase GABA and block glutamate, therefore reducing its excitatory effects. In cats it has been used to treat behavioural problems including inappropriate elimination, fear and aggression both towards humans and other cats and has also been shown to help with the physical effects of anxiety<ref>Dramard, V., Kern, L., Hofmans, J., et al. Clinical efficacy of l-theanine tablets to reduce anxiety-related emotional disorders in cats: a pilot open-label clinical trial. J Vet Behav 2007;5:85-6.</ref>. To date there have been no drug interactions or side effects with use<ref>Araujo, J.A., de Rivera, C., Ethier, J.L., et al. Anxitane tablets reduce fear of human beings in a laboratory model of anxiety-related behaviour. J Vet Behav 2010;5:268-75.</ref>. Benefits are usually seen approximately after 14-30 days of use.

l-Theanine is an amino acid that is found almost exclusively in certain species of tea plant. It has been shown to have positive effects on positive, activation and anxiety symptoms in human patients with schizophrenia<ref>Ritsner, M.S., Miodownik, C., Ratner, Y., Shleifer, T., Mar, M., Pintov, L., Lerner, V.M. (2011) L-Theanine Relieves Positive, Activation, and Anxiety Symptoms in Patients With Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder: An 8-Week, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, 2-Center Study.  J Clin Psychiatry. 72(1).</ref>, and beneficial effects on stress responses and the ability to concentrate during cognitive tasks<ref>Kimura, K.,  Ozeki, M., June, L.R., Ohira, H. (2006) L-Theanine reduces psychological and physiological stress responses. Biological Psychology.</ref>.

 

l-Theanine has a range of effects, including binding to glutamate receptor subtypes (AMPA, kainate, and NMDA receptors) and blocking of the binding of L-glutamic acid to the glutamate receptors in cortical neurones<ref>Kakuda, T., Nozawa, A., Sugimoto, A., Nino, H., (2002). Inhibition by theanine of binding of [3H]AMPA, [3H]Kainate, and [3H]MDL 105,519 to glutamate receptors. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry 66, 2683– 2686.</ref>.

 

In a small open label trial without a control group, l-theanine reduced a range of anxiety signs in cats with behavioural problems<ref>Dramard, V., Kern, L., Hofmans, J., et al. Clinical efficacy of l-theanine tablets to reduce anxiety-related emotional disorders in cats: a pilot open-label clinical trial. J Vet Behav 2007;5:85-6.</ref>. However, this study was not presented as a full article in a peer reviewed journal, and the lack of detail on the methodology or statistical significance of the findings makes the results impossible to interpret. In a study of the effects of l-theanine on fear of human beings in laboratory beagles, treated dogs showed greater human interaction and approach than the placebo control group<ref>Araujo, J.A., de Rivera, C., Ethier, J.L., et al. Anxitane tablets reduce fear of human beings in a laboratory model of anxiety-related behaviour. J Vet Behav 2010;5:268-75.</ref>. Whether this could translate into a clinical effect in dogs with fear rested problems is not known.

==[[Melatonin]]==

==[[Melatonin]]==