Orotic acid

Orotic acid

Systematic (IUPAC) name
1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-2,6-dioxo-4-pyrimidinecarboxylic acid
Clinical data
AHFS/Drugs.com	International Drug Names
Pregnancy cat.	?
Legal status	?
Identifiers
CAS number	65-86-1 Y
ATC code	None
PubChem	CID 967
DrugBank	EXPT02447
UNII	61H4T033E5 N
KEGG	C00295 N
Chemical data
Formula	C5H4N2O4
Mol. mass	156.10 g/mol
N(what is this?)  (verify)

Orotic acid is a heterocyclic compound and an acid; it is also known as pyrimidinecarboxylic acid. Historically it was believed to be part of the Vitamin B complex and was called vitamin B13, but it is now known that it is not a vitamin.

The compound is manufactured in the body by intestinal flora. It is sometimes used as a mineral carrier in some dietary supplements (to increase their bioavailability), most commonly for lithium orotate.

Synthesis of orotate

Dihydroorotate is synthesized to orotic acid by the enzyme dihydroorate dehydrogenase, where it later combines with phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate (PRPP) to form orotidylate (OMP). A distinguishing characteristic of pyrimidine synthesis is that the pyrimidine ring is fully synthesized before being attached to the ribose sugar, whereas purine synthesis happens by building the base directly on the sugar.

Orotic acid diseases

A buildup of orotic acid can lead to orotic aciduria. It may be a symptom of an increased ammonia load due to a metabolic disorder, such as a urea cycle disorder.

In ornithine transcarbamoylase deficiency, a disorder of the urea cycle, excess carbamoyl phosphate is converted into orotic acid. This typically leads to increased urinary orotic acid excretion, because the orotic acid is not being properly utilized and must be eliminated.

Orotic acid can be mutagenic (causes mutations) in mammalian somatic cells. It is also mutagenic for bacteria and or yeast.

See also

• Pyrimidine biosynthesis
• Lithium orotate

External links

• MeSH Orotic+Acid
• Overview at ggc.org
• Overview at greatvistachemicals.com
• Overview of Potential Metabolic Antagonists