Orotic acid

Orotic acid
Clinical data
Other namesuracil-6-carboxylic acid
AHFS/Drugs.comInternational Drug Names
ATC code
  • none
Identifiers
  • 1,2,3,6-Tetrahydro-2,6-dioxo-4-pyrimidinecarboxylic acid
CAS Number
PubChem CID
IUPHAR/BPS
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
ECHA InfoCard100.000.563 Edit this at Wikidata
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC5H4N2O4
Molar mass156.097 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • O=C(O)\C1=C\C(=O)NC(=O)N1
  • InChI=1S/C5H4N2O4/c8-3-1-2(4(9)10)6-5(11)7-3/h1H,(H,9,10)(H2,6,7,8,11) ☒N
  • Key:PXQPEWDEAKTCGB-UHFFFAOYSA-N ☒N
 ☒NcheckY (what is this?)  (verify)

Orotic acid (/ɔːˈrɒtɪk/)[1] is a pyrimidinedione and a carboxylic acid. Historically, it was believed to be part of the vitamin B complex and was called vitamin B13, but it is now known that it is not a vitamin.

The compound is synthesized in the body via a mitochondrial enzyme, dihydroorotate dehydrogenase[2] or a cytoplasmic enzyme of pyrimidine synthesis pathway. It is sometimes used as a mineral carrier in some dietary supplements (to increase their bioavailability), most commonly for lithium orotate.

  1. ^ "Orotic acid". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
  2. ^ Rawls J, Knecht W, Diekert K, Lill R, Löffler M (April 2000). "Requirements for the mitochondrial import and localization of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase". European Journal of Biochemistry. 267 (7): 2079–2087. doi:10.1046/j.1432-1327.2000.01213.x. PMID 10727948.