Amino Acid Solution
Intravenous amino-acid solutions supply essential and nonessential amino acids when adequate intake or utilization cannot be achieved through the gastrointestinal tract. They are components of individualized parenteral nutrition rather than complete nutrition by themselves. Products differ in concentration, amino-acid profile, electrolytes and osmolarity.
A separate veterinary application is targeted infusion in dogs with hepatocutaneous syndrome or related severe hypoaminoacidemic hepatopathies. In these disorders, repletion can improve associated skin and metabolic abnormalities, but it does not automatically reverse the underlying hepatic or endocrine disease.
Group
Parenteral amino-acid nutritional supplement
Mechanism of Action
Infused amino acids enter the circulating amino-acid pool and provide substrates for synthesis of body proteins, enzymes and other nitrogen-containing compounds. Essential amino acids must be supplied because the animal cannot synthesize enough of them, while nonessential amino acids contribute to overall protein and nitrogen needs.
Whether the infusion supports net tissue synthesis depends on adequate nonprotein energy and the patient’s metabolic capacity. Without sufficient energy, a larger portion of amino acids may be oxidized for fuel, producing nitrogen that must be handled by hepatic and renal pathways. An amino-acid infusion alone therefore cannot correct every component of malnutrition.
In marked hypoaminoacidemia, including hepatocutaneous syndrome, replenishing available amino acids can improve delivery to epidermal and other tissues with high metabolic demand. This is nutritional substrate replacement rather than a direct antifungal, antimicrobial or liver-regenerating drug action.
Dose Rates
Dogs
| Use / stage | Dose | Route | Schedule | Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hepatocutaneous syndrome — 10% amino-acid infusion protocol | 2.5 g/kg | IV | As needed | 25 mL/kg of a 10% amino-acid solution infused over 6–8 hours. This is a total infusion amount, not g/kg/hour or a general liver-disease dose. Select an individualized repeat schedule and fluid/nutrition plan. |
| Individualized parenteral nutritional support | Reference only | IV | No universal amino-acid amount, infusion rate or complete nutrient prescription is specified. Select the formulation and calculate the full nutrition plan for the individual patient. | |
| Astymin-3 — product-specific volume supplementation reference | Reference only | IV | Canine practice reference: 1 mL/kg of Astymin-3. Frequency, infusion duration, dilution and maximum total volume have not been specified for this regimen. This is not a general amino-acid dose, a bolus instruction, or a substitute for the separate hepatocutaneous-syndrome protocol. The current calculator does not support direct mL/kg dosing of this multi-ingredient formulation. |
Indications
- Amino-acid supplementation within partial or total parenteral nutrition when enteral intake cannot adequately meet nutritional requirements.
- Treatment of clinically important amino-acid depletion or negative nitrogen balance within an individualized intravenous nutritional plan.
- Targeted infusion for canine hepatocutaneous syndrome and selected hypoaminoacidemic hepatopathies, particularly with associated cutaneous lesions.
- Adjunctive nutritional support in selected liver-disease patients using a suitable amino-acid composition.
Contraindications
- Avoid a formulation in patients hypersensitive to any of its components or with incompatible inborn errors of amino-acid metabolism.
- Severe hepatic or renal dysfunction requires individualized selection and monitoring; amino-acid infusion may worsen encephalopathy or azotemia.
- Do not use a solution whose osmolarity, electrolyte content or volume is unsuitable for the selected patient and vascular access.
Interactions
- Assess compatibility before mixing with dextrose, electrolytes, lipid emulsions or medications; do not infer admixture compatibility from concentration alone.
Adverse effects
- Hyperosmolar complications, vascular irritation, fluid overload and metabolic disturbances may occur.
- Neurologic deterioration can indicate intolerance or worsening hepatic encephalopathy; azotemia can worsen in susceptible renal patients.
Toxicity
Excessive infusion rate or inappropriate total nutrient, electrolyte or fluid delivery can cause serious metabolic or cardiovascular complications. Stop the infusion and assess the patient if neurologic or other acute intolerance develops.
Preparations
| Preparation | Form | Strength | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travasol 10% amino-acid injection, without added electrolytes Baxter Healthcare Total amino acids 10 g/100 mL; individual quantities are stated per 100 mL. Lysine is expressed as lysine supplied as the hydrochloride salt. Chloride and acetate contributions remain present despite absence of added electrolyte salts. Hyperosmolar concentrate: prescribe vascular access and any dilution as part of the complete infusion plan. Human-labelled product; veterinary use is extra-label. | Injection | leucine 730 mg / 100 mL + isoleucine 600 mg / 100 mL + lysine 580 mg / 100 mL + valine 580 mg / 100 mL + phenylalanine 560 mg / 100 mL + histidine 480 mg / 100 mL + threonine 420 mg / 100 mL + methionine 400 mg / 100 mL + tryptophan 180 mg / 100 mL + alanine 2070 mg / 100 mL + arginine 1150 mg / 100 mL + glycine 1030 mg / 100 mL + proline 680 mg / 100 mL + serine 500 mg / 100 mL + tyrosine 40 mg / 100 mL | IV |
| Astymin-3 20 mL amino-acid solution Tablets India Ltd 20 mL presentation. Composition is stated per mL, including the specified hydrochloride salts and 50 mg sorbitol. Human parenteral product; veterinary use is extra-label. This mixture is not interchangeable volume-for-volume with Travasol 10%. Select dilution, vascular access, infusion rate and schedule for the individual patient; do not administer as an improvised IV bolus. | Injection | arginine hydrochloride 8 mg / mL + histidine hydrochloride monohydrate 4 mg / mL + isoleucine 5.5 mg / mL + leucine 12.3 mg / mL + lysine hydrochloride 22.3 mg / mL + methionine 7.1 mg / mL + phenylalanine 8.7 mg / mL + threonine 5.4 mg / mL + tryptophan 1.8 mg / mL + valine 6.1 mg / mL + glycine 10 mg / mL + sorbitol 50 mg / mL | IV |
| Astymin-3 200 mL amino-acid solution Tablets India Ltd 200 mL presentation. Composition is stated per mL, including the specified hydrochloride salts and 50 mg sorbitol. Human parenteral product; veterinary use is extra-label. This mixture is not interchangeable volume-for-volume with Travasol 10%. Select dilution, vascular access, infusion rate and schedule for the individual patient; do not administer as an improvised IV bolus. | Injection | arginine hydrochloride 8 mg / mL + histidine hydrochloride monohydrate 4 mg / mL + isoleucine 5.5 mg / mL + leucine 12.3 mg / mL + lysine hydrochloride 22.3 mg / mL + methionine 7.1 mg / mL + phenylalanine 8.7 mg / mL + threonine 5.4 mg / mL + tryptophan 1.8 mg / mL + valine 6.1 mg / mL + glycine 10 mg / mL + sorbitol 50 mg / mL | IV |
Monitoring and Administration
Prescribe amino-acid concentration, total volume, infusion duration, vascular access and the accompanying energy, electrolyte and fluid plan together. A bag of amino acids alone is not a complete parenteral nutrition prescription.
For canine hepatocutaneous syndrome, a published protocol uses 25 mL/kg of an 8.5–10% amino-acid solution over 6–8 hours. For a 10% solution this supplies 2.5 g/kg total amino acids; do not apply that gram dose to an 8.5% solution without recalculation.
Use appropriate central venous access for hyperosmolar formulations unless a verified dilution and final osmolarity support peripheral administration. When indicated, a 10% solution can be diluted in a compatible 5% dextrose preparation under an individualized plan.
Repeat infusions according to clinical response and the complete protocol. Older descriptions use 7–10-day intervals, while case-series schedules may be more intensive initially; these are separate plans.
Prefer the specified electrolyte-free formulation when following an electrolyte-free hepatocutaneous-syndrome protocol. Products with the same total percentage are not necessarily interchangeable.
Monitor the catheter and infusion site, hydration, body weight, glucose, electrolytes, renal indices, hepatic status and neurologic response as clinically indicated.
Use aseptic technique and the product-specific storage, admixture and beyond-use instructions. Protect from light where required.
Fresenius Kabi India lists Aminoven 5% and 10% as human parenteral-nutrition products. This confirms a regional product option, not veterinary dose equivalence or identical amino-acid composition to Travasol; no human dosing schedule is imported here.
For Astymin-3, distinguish a product-specific volume prescription from total amino-acid grams. The stated salt masses, free-amino-acid equivalents and sorbitol content must not be treated as the same quantity. A 1 mL/kg volume reference does not establish frequency, infusion speed, dilution or a complete nutritional prescription.