3-Nitropropionic acid
| Names | |
|---|---|
| Preferred IUPAC name
3-Nitropropanoic acid | |
| Other names
3-NPA
β-Nitropropionic acid Hiptagenic acid Bovinocidin | |
| Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol)
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| ChemSpider | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.007.276 |
PubChem CID
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| UNII | |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
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| Properties | |
| C3H5NO4 | |
| Molar mass | 119.076 g·mol−1 |
| Melting point | 65–67 °C (149–153 °F; 338–340 K) |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references
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3-Nitropropionic acid (3-NPA) is a mycotoxin which is severely toxic to humans. It is a potent suicidal inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase, an enyzme in the citric acid cycle and mitochondrial energy chain. Mild cases of exposure give rise to nausea, vomiting, and stomach ache, while severe cases lead to brain damage or death. There is no known antidote to 3-nitropropionic acid poisoning.
3-nitropropionic acid is produced by a number of fungi, most notably in the Aspergillus family, and may be found in food such as in sugar cane as well as Japanese fungally fermented staples, including miso, soy sauce, katsuobushi, coconuts and some traditional Chinese medicines. Several outbreaks of 3-nitropropionic acid poisoning have been linked to contamination of shared food crops, particularly in China, where sugar cane is commonly consumed by children.