Orotic acid, also known as orotate or orotsaeure, belongs to the class of organic compounds known as pyrimidinecarboxylic acids. These are pyrimidines with a structure containing a carboxyl group attached to the pyrimidine ring. Orotic acid is an extremely weak basic (essentially neutral) compound (based on its pKa). Orotic acid exists in all living species, ranging from bacteria to humans. Within humans, orotic acid participates in a number of enzymatic reactions. In particular, orotic acid can be biosynthesized from L-dihydroorotic acid and quinone through its interaction with the enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (quinone), mitochondrial. In addition, orotic acid and phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate can be converted into orotidylic acid; which is catalyzed by the enzyme uridine monophosphate synthetase isoform a. In humans, orotic acid is involved in the metabolic disorder called the beta-ureidopropionase deficiency pathway. Outside of the human body, Orotic acid is found, on average, in the highest concentration within milk (cow). Orotic acid has also been detected, but not quantified in, several different foods, such as okra, passion fruits, strawberry guava, cupuaçus, and mango. This could make orotic acid a potential biomarker for the consumption of these foods. Orotic acid is a potentially toxic compound. Orotic acid, with regard to humans, has been found to be associated with several diseases such as colorectal cancer, canavan disease, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase deficiency 1, cytosolic; orotic acid has also been linked to several inborn metabolic disorders including n-acetylglutamate synthetase deficiency and ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency. A pyrimidinemonocarboxylic acid that is uracil bearing a carboxy substituent at position C-6.
Belongs to the class of organic compounds known as pyrimidinecarboxylic acids. These are pyrimidines with a structure containing a carboxyl group attached to the pyrimidine ring.
