Kainic acid

Kainic acid is a natural marine dendotoxin found in the red alga Digenea simplex. It is a specific agonist for the kainate receptor, mimicking the effect of glutamate, the brain's natural excitatory neurotransmitter. Kainic acid is often used in scientific research to selectively kill off specific populations of neurons in the brain or spinal cord.

History

Kainic acid was first isolated in 1953 from Digenea simplex. The name "kainic" comes from "kainin", the Japanese word for the alga from which it was first derived.

Structure and properties

Kainic acid is a solid, water-soluble compound with the molecular formula C10H15NO4. It has a complex structure that includes a five-membered isoxazole ring and a six-membered pyrrolidine ring.

Biological effects

Kainic acid acts as a potent neuroexcitatory agent. When administered to animals, it causes seizures and neurodegeneration, particularly in the hippocampus. This has led to its use as a research tool in models of epilepsy and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

Medical use

While kainic acid itself is not used in medicine due to its neurotoxicity, its ability to selectively activate kainate receptors has been useful in the development of drugs for neurological disorders. For example, kainate receptor antagonists are being investigated for their potential to treat epilepsy and neurodegenerative diseases.

Safety

Exposure to kainic acid can cause a range of symptoms, from mild irritation to severe neurological effects such as seizures and even death. It is therefore handled with caution in the laboratory.

See also

• Glutamate receptor
• Neurotoxin
• Neurodegeneration