Kainic acid

Kainic acid is an acid present in some algae. It is analogue to glutamate.

2-Carboxy-3-carboxymethyl-4-isopropenyl-pyrrolidine
 * Chemical name : (2-Carboxy-4-isopropenyl-3-pyrrolidinyl)-acetic acid monohydrate
 * CAS-No :
 * 58002-62-3 Kainic Acid Monohydrate
 * 487-79-6 Kainic acid anhydrous
 * Molecular formula C10H15NO4xH2O
 * Molecular weight : 213.2

Occurrence
In 1953, kainic acid was originally isolated from the red alga called "Kainin-sou"(海人草) or "Makuri" (Digenea simplex) in Japan. "Kainin-sou" is used as an anthelmintic in Japan.

Kainic acid is a natural marine product originally isolated from the red marine alga D. Simplex. It is a potent central nervous system stimulant, and has been developed as the prototype neuroexcitatory amino acid for the induction of seizures in experimental animals, at a typical dose of 10-30 mg/kg in mice.Kainic acid is neuroexcitotoxic and epileptogenic, acting through specific kainate receptors. Because of the supply shortage in 2000, the price of kainic acid has risen significantly. The current market price is about $3/mg (www.kainoids.com).

Applications of Kainic Acid

 * antiworming agent
 * neuroscience research
 * neurodegenerative agent
 * modeling of epilepsy
 * modeling of Alzheimer's disease