hydroxybutyric acid

hy·drox·y·bu·tyr·ic acid

H5370150 (hī-drŏk′sē-byo͞o-tîr′ĭk)n. Any of several organic acids, C₄H₈O₃, that are derivatives of butyric acid. One of these acids, beta-hydroxybutyric acid, is a ketone body that accumulates in the blood and urine when fat is being metabolized.

hy•drox′y•bu•tyr′ic ac′id

(haɪˈdrɒk si byuˈtɪr ɪk, -ˌdrɒk-)
n. one of several volatile liquids of the form C₄H₈O₃, soluble in water, alcohol, and ether, found in the urine of diabetics or made synthetically.

Thesaurus

Noun

hydroxybutyric acid - hydroxy derivative of butyric acidoxybutyric acidbutanoic acid, butyric acid - an unpleasant smelling fatty acid found especially in butterbeta-hydroxybutyric acid - beta derivative of hydroxybutyric acid that is found in the blood and urine in some cases of impaired metabolism

Hydroxybutyric Acid

(or β-hydroxybutyric acid), CH₃CH(OH)CH₂COOH, an acid that exists in two optically active forms and one racemic form (melting point, 44°C). Hydroxybutyric acid is readily soluble in water, alcohol, and ether. In humans and animals, it is one of several intermediate products of oxidation of fatty acids. Negligible quantities of hydroxybutyric acid are present in the blood and urine of healthy humans. Certain metabolic disorders, such as diabetes mellitus and starvation, disrupt the normal oxidation of hydroxybutyric acid, which causes the accumulation of the acid in the body and may induce acidosis.

hydroxybutyric acid

(hī-drŏk′sē-byo͞o-tîr′ĭk)n. Any of several organic acids, C₄H₈O₃, that are derivatives of butyric acid. One of these acids, beta-hydroxybutyric acid, is a ketone body that accumulates in the blood and urine when fat is being metabolized.