Gluten exorphins are a group of opioid peptide

Opioid peptide

Opioid peptides are short sequences of amino acids that bind to opioid receptors in the brain; opiates and opioids mimic the effect of these peptides. Opioid peptides may be produced by the body itself, for example endorphins. The effects of these peptides vary, but they all resemble opiates...

s which are formed during digestion

Digestion

Digestion is the mechanical and chemical breakdown of food into smaller components that are more easily absorbed into a blood stream, for instance. Digestion is a form of catabolism: a breakdown of large food molecules to smaller ones....

 of the gluten

Gluten

Gluten is a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat and related grain species, including barley and rye...

 protein. It has been hypothesized that people with autism

Autism

Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...

 and schizophrenia

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...

 have abnormal leakage from the gut of these compounds, which then pass into the brain and disrupt brain function. This is partly the basis for the gluten-free, casein-free diet

Gluten-free, casein-free diet

A gluten-free casein-free diet eliminates dietary intake of the naturally occurring proteins gluten and casein .-Controversial autism diet:...

. However, clinical studies of autism patients who followed this diet have found no evidence of benefit, and the diet may even present a greater risk to brain development.

There are five known gluten exorphins with known structure:

Gluten exorphin A5

• Structure: H-Gly-Tyr-Tyr-Pro-Thr-OH
• Chemical formula: C₂₉H₃₇N₅O₉
• Molecular weight: 599.64 g/mol

Gluten exorphin B4

• Structure: H-Tyr-Gly-Gly-Trp-OH
• Chemical formula: C₂₄H₂₇N₅O₆
• Molecular weight: 481.50 g/mol

Gluten exorphin B5

• Structure: H-Tyr-Gly-Gly-Trp-Leu-OH
• Chemical formula: C₃₀H₃₈N₆O₇
• Molecular weight: 594.66 g/mol

Gluten exorphin C

• Structure: H-Tyr-Pro-Ile-Ser-Leu-OH
• Chemical formula: C₂₉H₄₅N₅O₈
• Molecular weight: 591.70 g/mol