γ-氨基丁酸（GABA）既是一种抑制性神经递质，也是一种人体内分泌介质。此外，GABA也存在于中药和食品之中。GABA在中枢神经系统和其他外周器官可以特异性地结合并作用于它的两类受体：离子通道受体GABA_A和GABA_C，及G蛋白偶联受体GABA_B，GABA与这些受体结合可超极化抑制细胞兴奋，启动G蛋白偶联受体信号传递通路，进而发挥抑制神经兴奋助眠、促进神经元及身体发育、精神松弛安定、全身细胞抗炎修复等多种功能。本综述聚焦于食源性GABA对于中枢神经、心血管、泌尿和消化等各系统功能的保护作用的基础理论和临床研究，综合论述了GABA在中枢系统及非中枢神经系统中发挥的改善睡眠焦虑、缓解高血压和糖尿病、抗癌、抗癌、抗过敏，保护肝脏、肾脏和小肠等脏器功能的药理作用。食源性GABA可能成为预防多种疾病的保健食品，甚至治疗疾病的安全有效的潜在替代疗法。

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is not only an inhibitory neurotransmitter, but also a human endocrine mediator. In the human body, it is mainly synthesized by the liver and nourishes the whole body. At the same time, GABA also exists in traditional Chinese medicine and food. GABA can specifically bind to its two types of receptors in the central nervous system and other peripheral organs, the ion channel receptors GABA_A and GABA_C, and G protein coupled receptor GABA_B. Binding with these receptors, GABA can hyperpolarize to inhibit cell excitation and start the G-protein-coupled receptor signal transduction pathway, to play a variety of functions, such as inhibiting neural excitation, helping sleep, promoting neuronal and physical development, and systemic cell anti-inflammatory repair. This review focuses on the protective effects of oral GABA in both basic and clinical studies on the functions of central nervous, cardiovascular, urinary and digestive systems, such as improving sleep and anxiety, ameliorating hypertension and diabetes, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, liver protection, renal protection,and intestinal protection. Oral GABA may become a health food to prevent a variety of diseases, and even a safe and effective potential alternative therapy for the treatment of diseases.

国家自然科学基金委主任基金项目（31650005）:腺苷受体介导的神经免疫M1（炎症）向M2（抗炎）状态的转变对抑郁和自杀相关行为的影响