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Background 2-Hydroxybenzylamine (2-HOBA) is a selective dicarbonyl electrophile scavenger being developed as a nutritional supplement to help protect against the development of conditions associated with dicarbonyl electrophile formation, such as the cognitive decline observed with Mild Cognitive Impairment or Alzheimer’s disease. Methods This study evaluated the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of repeated oral doses of 2-HOBA acetate (500 or 750 mg) administered to healthy volunteers every eight hours for two weeks. The effects of 2-HOBA on cyclooxygenase function and cerebrospinal fluid penetrance of 2-HOBA were also investigated. Results Repeated oral administration of 2-HOBA was found to be safe and well-tolerated up to 750 mg TID for 15 days. 2-HOBA was absorbed within 2 h of administration, had a half-life of 2.10–3.27 h, and an accumulation ratio of 1.38–1.52. 2-HOBA did not interfere with cyclooxygenase function and was found to be present in cerebrospinal fluid 90 min after dosing. Conclusions Repeated oral administration of 2-HOBA was found to be safe and well-tolerated. These results support continued development of 2-HOBA as a nutritional supplement. Trial registration Studies are registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03555682 Registered 13 June 2018, NCT03554096 Registered 12 June 18).

Background 2-Hydroxybenzylamine (2-HOBA) is a selective scavenger of dicarbonyl electrophiles that protects proteins and lipids from being modified by these electrophiles. It is currently being developed for use as a nutritional supplement to help maintain good health and protect against the development of conditions associated with dicarbonyl electrophile formation, such as the cognitive decline associated with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. Methods In this first-in-human study, the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of six ascending single oral doses of 2-HOBA acetate were tested in eighteen healthy human volunteers. Results Reported adverse events were mild and considered unlikely to be related to 2-HOBA. There were no clinically significant changes in vital signs, ECG recordings, or clinical laboratory parameters. 2-HOBA was fairly rapidly absorbed, with a tmax of 1–2 h, and eliminated, with a t1/2 of approximately 2 h. Both tmax and t1/2 were independent of dose level, while Cmax and AUC increased proportionally with dose level. Conclusions 2-HOBA acetate was safe and well-tolerated at doses up to 825 mg in healthy human volunteers, positioning it as a good candidate for continued development as a nutritional supplement. Trial registration This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03176940). Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s40360-018-0281-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.