5063 Quinolacetic acid Quinolacetic acid is a by-product of the partially defective enzyme, 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (PMID: 6619234). When present in sufficiently high levels, quinolacetic acid can act as an acidogen and a metabotoxin. An acidogen is an acidic compound that induces acidosis, which has multiple adverse effects on many organ systems. A metabotoxin is an endogenously produced metabolite that causes adverse health effects at chronically high levels. Chronically high levels of quinolacetic acid are associated with hawkinsinuria (PMID: 6619234). Hawkinsinuria is characterized by the inability to break down the amino acid tyrosine. The features of this condition usually appear around the time infants are weaned off breast milk and begin to use formula. The signs and symptoms may include the following: failure to gain weight and grow at the expected rate (failure to thrive), abnormally high acid levels in the blood (acidosis), and fine or sparse hair. Hawkinsin is an organic acid. Abnormally high levels of organic acids in the blood (organic acidemia), urine (organic aciduria), the brain, and other tissues lead to general metabolic acidosis. Acidosis typically occurs when arterial pH falls below 7.35. In infants with acidosis, the initial symptoms include poor feeding, vomiting, loss of appetite, weak muscle tone (hypotonia), and lack of energy (lethargy). These can progress to heart, liver, and kidney abnormalities, seizures, coma, and possibly death. These are also the characteristic symptoms of untreated hawkinsinuria. Many affected children with organic acidemias experience intellectual disability or delayed development. In adults, acidosis or acidemia is characterized by headaches, confusion, feeling tired, tremors, sleepiness, and seizures. 55604-87-0 C8H8O4 2018-03-21T18:00:09Z 2018-03-21T18:07:51Z true OC(=O)CC1(O)C=CC(=O)C=C1 C8H8O4 InChI=1S/C8H8O4/c9-6-1-3-8(12,4-2-6)5-7(10)11/h1-4,12H,5H2,(H,10,11) RFJUCKOEXRTZPN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 168.148 168.042258738 HMDB0240257