This is some interesting information I found on Sodium Phenylbutrate that I wish I had known before. This is the drug that costs $4,500/month, with no discounts

The following information gives me greater understanding as to why I am taking PB and why I need to follow a stricter low protein diet and drink Much more water.  I see that many of the foods I’ve been eating are too high in Glutamine amiono acid.

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Specifically, under their Cancer Studies topic…

GLUTAMINE DEPLETION
Glutamine is a non-essential amino acid and the major nitrogen source for nucleic acid and protein synthesis. It is also an important energy substrate in rapidly dividing cells. Tumor cells are significantly more sensitive to glutamine depletion than normal cells, as they function on limiting levels of glutamine availability due to their increased utilization and accelerated catabolism. The glutamine depleting enzyme glutaminase, as well as some glutamine antimetabolites have shown promising antineoplastic activity, but their clinical usefulness has been limited by their unacceptable side effects and toxicity. Phenylbutyrate depletes the cells of glutamine without affecting the glutamine utilizing enzymes. In its metabolized form it is capable of conjugating glutamine to yield PAG (phenyl acetyl glutamine), which is then excreted in the urine, and the tumor cells will not have enough “fuel” to continue to grow and multiply. Normal cells are not affected by the used dosages. It has been shown (Samid 1992) that Phenylbutyrate arrests tumor growth and induces differentiation of pre-malignant and malignant cells through this non-toxic mechanism.

CELL DIFFERENTIATION
Differentiation therapy is becoming an attractive alternative in cancer treatment, as neoplastic transformation is considered to be a result from defects in cellular differentiation.

Phenylbutyrate has been shown to be a non-toxic differentiation inducer, promoting maturation of various types of malignant cells. Maturation makes the cells less aggressive, causing them to cease dividing and eventually die.

Differentiation therapy is also a therapeutic potential for other diseases such as inherited anemias. Some exceptional results have been shown in using Phenylbutyrate in the treatment of Sickle Cell Anemia/ Thalassemia, raising the HbF levels. Recent experimental research has furthermore indicated both an inhibiting effect of Phenylbutyrate on HIV replication, due to its glutamine depleting effect, and encouraging results of in vitro studies on Cystic Fibrosis, where Phenylbutyrate was able to restore the missing cellular protein.

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Glutamine-rich Foods include: beef, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy. Glutamine deficiency is rare even in vegetarians because glutamine can be found in such foods as legumes, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and raw cabbage and beets. Small amounts are found in freshly made vegetable juices and in such fermented foods as miso and good-quality yogurts.