Lexic.us

Definition of Ornithine

1. Noun. An amino acid that does not occur in proteins but is important in the formation of urea.

Definition of Ornithine

1. Noun. (amino acid) An amino acid, ''2,5-diaminopentanoic acid'', that is not present in protein, but is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of urea. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Ornithine

1. [n -S]

Medical Definition of Ornithine

1. Is made from the amino acid arginine and in turn is a precursor to form glutamic acid, citruline and proline. Ornithine's chief therapeutic value lies in its involvement in the urea cycle and its ability to enhance liver function, protect the liver and detoxify harmful substances. It has been used in the treatment of hepatic coma states. It also helps release a growth hormone that metabolises excess body fat when combined with arginine. This growth hormone is also an immune stimulant. In animal studies arginine and ornithine have improved immune responses to bacteria, viruses and tumour cells. It is found in milk products and meat, especially chicken. It may cause insomnia and is contraindicated for schizophrenics. (22 May 1997)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Ornithine

Literary usage of Ornithine

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (1903)
"Evaluation of Anti-inflammatory Drugs Based upon the Inhibition of Matrix-Induced ornithine Decarboxylase Activity during Connective Tissue Proliferation ..."

2. A Text-book of Physiological Chemistry: By John A. Mandel by Olof Hammarsten (1908)
"The ornithine which E. FISCHER and recently SORENSEN ' have prepared ... A. LOEWY and NEUBERG' have shown that ornithine is split into putrescine and CO2 in ..."

3. Text-book of Physiological Chemistry in Thirty Lectures by Emil Abderhalden (1908)
"Emil Fischer * finally cleared up the constitution of ornithine by its synthesis. By this it was definitely determined that ornithine was an a-, d-, ..."

4. Organic Chemistry for Advanced Students by Julius Berend Cohen (1907)
"CN ornithine. NH = H2N. ... J, The synthesis of ornithine and lysine offered considerable difficulties, but these have been successfully overcome by E. ..."

5. Handbook of Physiology by William Dobinson Halliburton (1913)
"Arginine is a somewhat more complex substance, which contains the ornithine radical. It belongs to the same group of substances as creatine, ..."

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