3-Mercaptopyruvic acid is an intermediate in
cysteine metabolism
Cysteine metabolism refers to the biological pathways that consume or create cysteine. The pathways of different amino acids and other metabolites interweave and overlap to creating complex systems.cysteine is metabolism creating complex systems
...
. It has been studied as a potential treatment for
cyanide poisoning
Cyanide poisoning is poisoning that results from exposure to any of a number of forms of cyanide. Early symptoms include headache, dizziness, fast heart rate, shortness of breath, and vomiting. This phase may then be followed by seizures, sl ...
, but its
half-life
Half-life (symbol ) is the time required for a quantity (of substance) to reduce to half of its initial value. The term is commonly used in nuclear physics to describe how quickly unstable atoms undergo radioactive decay or how long stable at ...
is too short for it to be clinically effective. Instead,
prodrugs, such as
sulfanegen, are being evaluated to compensate for the short half-life of 3-mercaptopyruvic acid.
See also
*
3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase
References
Carboxylic acids
Thiols
Alpha-keto acids
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