Casomorphin Explained

Casomorphin is an opioid peptide (protein fragment) derived from the digestion of the milk protein casein.

Health

Digestive enzymes can break casein down into peptides that have some biological activity in cells and in laboratory animals though conclusive causal effects on humans have not been established.^[1]

Although research has shown high rates of use of complementary and alternative therapies for children with autism, including gluten and/or casein exclusion diets, there was a lack of evidence that these diets had any effect.^[2]

If opioid peptides breach the intestinal barrier, typically linked to permeability and constrained biosynthesis of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4), they can attach to opioid receptors.Elucidation requires a systemic framework that acknowledges that public-health effects of food-derived opioids are complex with varying genetic susceptibility and confounding factors, together with system-wide interactions and feedbacks.^[3]

List of known casomorphins (non-exhaustive)

β-Casomorphins 1–3

• Structure: H-Tyr-Pro-Phe-OH
• Chemical formula: C₂₃H₂₇N₃O₅
• Molecular weight: 425.48 g/mol

Bovine β-casomorphins 1–4

• Structure: H-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Pro-OH
• Chemical formula: C₂₈H₃₅N₄O₆
• Molecular weight: 522.61 g/mol

Bovine β-casomorphin 1–4, amide

• Structure: H-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Pro-NH₂
• Chemical formula: C₂₈H₃₅N₅O₅
• Molecular weight: 521.6 g/mol

Also known as morphiceptin

Bovine β-casomorphin 5

• Structure: H-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Pro-Gly-OH
• Chemical formula: C₃₀H₃₇N₅O₇
• Molecular weight: 594.66 g/mol

Bovine β-casomorphin 7

• Structure: H-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro-Ile-OH
• Chemical formula: C₄₁H₅₅N₇O₉
• Molecular weight: 789.9 g/mol

Bovine β-casomorphin 8

• Structure: H-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro-Ile-Pro-OH
• Chemical formula: C₄₆H₆₂N₈O₁₀
• Molecular weight: 887.00 g/mol

(Note: There is also a form of bovine β-casomorphin 8 that has histidine instead of proline in position 8, depending on whether it is derived from A1 (His) or A2 (Pro) beta-casein.)

Notes and References

1. European Food Safety Authority. 1 February 2009 Review of the potential health impact of β-casomorphins and related peptides
2. Millward . C . Ferriter . M . Calver . S . Connell-Jones . G . 2008 . Gluten- and casein-free diets for autistic spectrum disorder . Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews . 2. CD003498 . 10.1002/14651858.CD003498.pub3 . 18425890 . 4164915.
3. Casomorphins and Gliadorphins Have Diverse Systemic Effects Spanning Gut, Brain and Internal Organs . Int J Environ Res Public Health . Keith . Bernard Woodford . 10.3390/ijerph18157911 . free . 2021. 18 . 15 . 7911 . 34360205 . 8345738 .