kainic acid

noun

kai·nic acid ˌkī-nik-

ˌkā-

: an excitatory neurotoxin C₁₀H₁₅NO₄ that is a glutamate analog originally isolated from a dried red alga (Digenia simplex), that binds selectively to a subset of glutamate receptors which serve as ligand-gated ion channels on neurons, and that is used as an anthelmintic and experimentally to induce seizures and neurodegeneration in laboratory animals

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“Kainic acid.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/kainic%20acid. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

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