Aminohippuric acids are important substances used in medical tests to assess kidney function. The spelling of this word can be confusing, but using the International Phonetic Alphabet can help. The word is pronounced /əˌmiːnəʊhɪˈpjʊərɪk ae s ɪdz/, which breaks down into several distinct sounds. The first syllable is pronounced "uh-MEE-noh", with the stress on the second syllable. The second word is pronounced "hi-PUR-ik", with the stress on the first syllable. The final word, "acids", is pronounced as it appears.
Aminohippuric acids are a class of organic compounds that are commonly used in medical and scientific research to evaluate kidney function. The most well-known aminohippuric acid is para-aminohippuric acid (PAH). These compounds are derivatives of hippuric acid, which is a natural substance present in urine. In the body, aminohippuric acids are rapidly excreted by the kidneys through a specific transport system.
Aminohippuric acids are primarily used in renal clearance tests, especially in the determination of effective renal plasma flow (ERPF). ERPF is a measure of the blood flow through the kidneys, indicating the ability of the kidneys to filter and remove waste products. By injecting a known amount of aminohippuric acid into the bloodstream and measuring its clearance rate, researchers can calculate the ERPF. This information is valuable in assessing kidney function, diagnosing renal diseases, and monitoring the efficacy of treatments.
Aminohippuric acids are generally considered safe and well-tolerated by the body, with minimal side effects. They are typically administered intravenously and rapidly reach peak plasma concentrations before being rapidly eliminated by the kidneys. Due to their importance in renal function assessment, aminohippuric acids have become crucial tools in clinical nephrology and urology.
The word "aminohippuric acids" is derived from a combination of two terms: "amino" and "hippuric acids".
1. Amino: The term "amino" is derived from the Latin word "aminus" meaning "nitrogen". It refers to a class of organic compounds that contain an "amino group" (-NH2), which consists of a nitrogen atom bonded to two hydrogen atoms. Amino groups are found in various organic compounds, including amino acids (building blocks of proteins), amines, and amino sugars.
2. Hippuric acids: The term "hippuric acids" comes from the Greek word "hippos" meaning "horse" and the Latin word "urina" meaning "urine". Hippuric acid is a substance first isolated from the urine of horses by French chemist Louis-Nicolas Vauquelin in 1799.