11306 Purines Terms and Definitions at www.MedicalGlossary.org

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Purines

Definition: A series of heterocyclic compounds that are variously substituted in nature and are known also as purine bases. They include ADENINE and GUANINE, constituents of nucleic acids, as well as many alkaloids such as CAFFEINE and THEOPHYLLINE. Uric acid is the metabolic end product of purine metabolism.

Purines Categories.
Adenine - A purine base and a fundamental unit of ADENINE NUCLEOTIDES.
Allopurinol - A XANTHINE OXIDASE inhibitor that decreases URIC ACID production. It also acts as an antimetabolite on some simpler organisms.
Purinones
Saxitoxin - A compound that contains a reduced PURINE ring system but is not biosynthetically related to the purine alkaloids. It is a poison found in certain edible mollusks at certain times; elaborated by GONYAULAX and consumed by mollusks, fishes, etc. without ill effects. It is neurotoxic and causes RESPIRATORY PARALYSIS and other effects in MAMMALS, known as paralytic SHELLFISH poisoning.
Thioguanine - An antineoplastic compound which also has antimetabolite action. The drug is used in the therapy of acute leukemia.
Zeatin - An aminopurine factor in plant extracts that induces cell division. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dict, 5th ed)

Purines Definitions and Terms

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