Kainic acid is an excitatory amino acid originally found in seaweed; it activates kainate receptors and AMPA receptors, increasing glutamate release and stimulating Na+ channels. Kainic acid is used in research models to induce seizures due to its neurotoxic and epileptogenic activities.
| Cas No. | 487-79-6 |
|---|---|
| Purity | ≥98% |
| Formula | C10H15NO4 |
| Formula Wt. | 213.23 |
| Chemical Name | [2S-(2α,3β,4β)]-2-Carboxy-4-(1-methylethenyl)-3- pyrrolidineacetic acid |
| IUPAC Name | (2S,3S,4S)-3-(carboxymethyl)-4-prop-1-en-2-ylpyrrolidine-2-carboxylicacid |
| Synonym | Digenin; Helminal |
| Melting Point | 251°C(dec.) |
| Solubility | Soluble in water. Insoluble in ethanol. |
| Appearance | White to off-white crystalline solid |
| Store Temp | Ambient |
|---|---|
| Ship Temp | Ambient |
| MSDS | K0133 MSDS PDF |
|---|---|
| Info Sheet | K0133 Info Sheet PDF |
Fritsch B, Reis J, Gasior M, et al. Role of GluK1 kainate receptors in seizures, epileptic discharges, and epileptogenesis. J Neurosci. 2014 Apr 23;34(17):5765-75. PMID: 24760837.
Ben-Ari Y. Kainate and Temporal Lobe Epilepsies: 3 decades of progress. In: Noebels JL, Avoli M, Rogawski MA, et al. editors. Jasper's Basic Mechanisms of the Epilepsies [Internet]. 4th edition. Bethesda (MD): National Center for Biotechnology Information (US); 2012. PMID: 22787646.
