glukuronihapolla

Glukuronihappo, or glucuronic acid in English, is a naturally occurring carboxylic sugar acid with the formula C6H10O7. It is an oxidized derivative of glucose and a key intermediate in the uronic acid pathway. In humans and many other organisms, glucuronic acid is produced from UDP-glucose by the enzyme UDP-glucose dehydrogenase and serves as the activated form UDP-glucuronate for biosynthetic reactions and detoxification processes.

A central role of glucuronic acid is in glucuronidation, a major phase II metabolic pathway. The enzyme family UDP-glucuronosyltransferases conjugates glucuronic acid to a wide range of lipophilic substrates, including bilirubin, drugs, hormones, and xenobiotics. This conjugation increases water solubility, facilitating excretion in urine or bile and reducing the activity of potentially harmful compounds.

Glukuronihappo is also a structural component of glycosaminoglycans in the extracellular matrix. It forms part of hyaluronic acid, as well as other polysaccharides such as chondroitin and heparan sulfate, contributing to tissue hydration, elasticity, and cell signaling.

Occurrence and metabolism are widespread in vertebrates. Glucuronidation is a key mechanism for detoxification and drug metabolism, influencing the pharmacokinetics and safety profiles of many medications. Glukuronihappo thus plays essential roles in both normal physiology and clinical chemistry.