Clinical Translation / Pharmacology & Personalised Medicine

The CIPER study

In this multicenter, randomised, double-blinded study we investigate the beneficial effects of the amino-acid food supplement L-Citrulline in patients with Peripheral artery disease. 

L-citrulline was named after the watermelon, in which it is found naturally. It is a precursor of L-arginine which is used for the formation of the vasoprotective protein Nitric Oxide (NO). Patients with peripheral artery disease have vascular dysfunction resulting from a decreased NO. Giving this L-citrulline as an oral supplement should result in better vascular function and thus a decrease in symptoms in patients with peripheral artery disease.

Our group at Maastricht University is the coordinating and data-analysing center, while patients are recruited in the Catharinaziekenhuis in Eindhoven (PI: Dr. J. Teijink) and the Hannover Medical School (PI: Dr. D. Sedding).