Forrest Liu, director of Cima Science Co., Ltd, just attended a professional international nutritional conference on Alpha GPC. He shared the content of his presentation in this article, talking about the new standard for L-α-Glycerophosphocholine. He mentioned how to improve the overall quality and eliminate the health risk of 3-MCPD by manufacturing Alpha GPC through the natural extraction method rather than biochemical synthesis.
L-α-Glycerophosphocholine, also known as L-α-GPC, is one of the metabolic products of phospholipid in the body. The alpha Glycerophosphocholine is an important precursor to acetylcholine. GPC is one of the components of human breast milk and body fluids. The structure of alpha GPC molecule is as below:
CAS No.: 28319-77-9
Structural formula: C8H20NO6P
Molecular weight: 257.22
Structural characteristics of GPC molecules
From the perspective of molecular structure, GPC is composed of choline, glycerin, and phosphate. Choline accounts for 40 percent of each GPC molecule, while as for citicoline, it is only about 20 percent.
GPC is a highly polar molecule that could easily cross the blood-brain barrier, making it highly bioavailable.
Physiological functions of choline
- Control the concentration of phospholipids in the liver and blood
- As methyl donor
- Synthesis of acetylcholine
- Synthesis of intracellular messengers
- Synthesis of
- phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin
Common foods rich in GPC
According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, the common food sources include Beef, Egg, Soybeans, Chicken, Fish, Mushrooms, shiitake, Milk, Wheat germ, Brussels sprouts, etc.
GPC is the precursor of acetylcholine synthesis
GPC can quickly deliver choline to the brain through the blood-brain barrier, raising the body’s acetylcholine levels and keeping it elevated for longer.
Adjuvant therapy for Alzheimer’s disease
Biochemical basis of GPC action
Production process and quality standard of Alpha GPC
Different specifications have a different manufacturing process. Wuxi Cima Science Co. Ltd manufactures both synthetic alpha GPC and natural Alpha GC from soybean lecithin or sunflower. Specifications of alpha GPC available:
Synthetic Alpha GPC 50% powder
Synthetic Alpha GPC 50% granule
Synthetic Alpha GPC 85% Liquid
Synthetic Alpha GPC 99% powder
Natural Alpha GPC of 50%, 85% and 99%
→Filtration →Purification process→Crystallizing→Re-Dissolved & Decolour→Filtrate→ Clear Liquid→Vacuum Concentration →Drying→ Grind screening →Testing→Pasteurization→ Packing → End Product
Product advantages:
- High purity, thin layer identification without impurity spots
- Product specifications can be customized
- Large-scale production, with an annual output of 30 tons of high purity GPC workshop
- 3-chloro-1 , 2- propylene glycol residues meet EU food requirements
| Items | GPC-50% | GPC-85% | GPC-98% |
| Appearance and character | White crystalline powder | Colorless transparent viscous liquid | White crystalline powder |
| Moisture | Karl Fischer method
≤3% |
Karl Fischer method ≤14%~16% | Karl Fischer method
≤1% |
| Content (% by dry product) | ≥50% | 98%~102% | 98%~102% |
| Specific optical rotation（20℃） | -1.0~2.0 | -2.4~-2.8 | -2.4~-2.8 |
| pH | 10% aqueous solution
5.0~7.0 |
10% aqueous solution
5.0~7.0 |
10% aqueous solution
5.0~7.0 |
| Chloride | ＜500ppm | ＜200ppm | |
| Sulfate | ＜500ppm | ＜200ppm | |
| Total heavy metal | ＜10ppm | ||
| Solvent residue | Ethanol does not exceed 5000ppm | ||
| Total bacterial count | ≤ 1000CFU/g | ||
| Mold counting | ≤ 100CFU/g | ||
| Salmonella | Not to be detected | ||
On October 27, 2017, the international agency for research on cancer released a preliminary list of carcinogens for reference, 3-monochloro-1, 2-propylene glycol was in the list of class 2B carcinogens.
Alpha GPC Manufacturing Route: synthetic VS Natural Extraction
At present, the main production technology of GPC in the domestic market is a synthetic route.
One of the raw materials is chlorine glycerin, which contains 3-chloro-1, 2-propylene glycol.
Carcinogen 3-chloro-1 , 2- propylene glycol
After the EU banned the export of soy sauce from China in 1996, the problem of 3-chloro-1-2-propylene glycol began to attract domestic attention. 3-chloro-1, 2-propylene glycol is considered to have carcinogenic effects.
Toxic by inhalation, ingestion, or absorption through the skin. It affects the lungs, liver, kidney, and brain. Inhalation of steam can produce nausea, headache, dizziness, coma, and other symptoms. Inhalation of steam can cause pulmonary edema, serious death.
Standards for limitation of 3-MCPD
3-MCPD
| Product name | 3-MCPD |
| Synonyms | 3-Monochloropropane-1,2-diol; α-Chlorohydrin; Glycerol α-monochlorohydrin; Chlorodeoxyglycerol; 3-Chloro-1,2-propanediol |
| CAS Number | 96-24-2 |
| Molecular Formula | C3H7ClO2 |
| Molecular Weight | 110.54 |
The IUPAC name of 3-MCPD is 3-Chloropropane-1,2-diol. It is also known as 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol, 3-Chloro-1,2-propanediol or 3-chloro-1, 2- propylene glycol. It may also exist in other forms, such as 3-monochloro-1,2-propanediol esters, processed oils/fats containing 3-MCPD equivalent (in the form of fatty acid esters).
According to Wikipedia, 3-MCPD is the most common member of chemical food contaminants known as chloropropanols. 3-MCPD is regarded as a carcinogen, an element that causes cancer. It is suspected to be carcinogenic in humans.
Content-control of 3-MCPD in Alpha GPC
Due to the problem of carcinogen residue, Korea stopped importing GPC from China in June learned from CPhI China exhibition, which seriously affected its export business.
Removal technology of 3- MCPD from Alpha GPC
After five years of research and development, targeted special adsorption resin has been successfully developed. Meanwhile, the raw material conversion rate in the process of product synthesis has been optimized. After multiple extractions of the synthetic liquid, using ion exchange resin adsorption and special resin adsorption, 3-MCPD can be effectively removed to meet the quality.
