Gamma-aminobutyric acid (usually abbreviated to GABA) is an inhibitory neurotransmitter found in the nervous systems of widely divergent species. It is the chief inhibitory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate central nervous system. Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potential is commonly abbreviated to Impulses are transmitted from neuron to neuron by the release of a chemical transmitter across synaptic clefts from the synaptic vesicles along the axon to the postsynaptic receptors of another neuron. ... Chemical structure of D-Aspartic Acid, a common Amino Acid neurotransmitter. ... A phylogenetic tree of all extant organisms, based on 16S rRNA gene sequence data, showing the evolutionary history of the three domains of life, bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes. ... In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biodiversity. ... Classes and Clades See below Vertebrata is a subphylum of chordates, specifically, those with backbones or spinal columns. ... A diagram showing the CNS: 1. ...

Gamma-aminobutyric acid
General
Systematic name	4-aminobutanoic acid
Other names	GABA
Molecular formula	C4H9NO2
SMILES	C(CC(=O)O)CN
Molar mass	103.12 g/mol
Appearance	white solid
CAS number	56-12-2
Properties
Density and phase	? g/cm3, ?
Solubility in water	? g/100 ml (? °C) or 0.5 M (20 °C)
Melting point	203°C (476 K)
Boiling point	? °C (? K)
Acidity (pKa)	10.43
Basicity (pKb)	9.77
Chiral rotation [α]D	?°
Viscosity	? cP at ? °C
Structure
Molecular shape	?
Coordination geometry	?
Crystal structure	?
Dipole moment	? D
Hazards
MSDS	External MSDS
Main hazards	?
NFPA 704
Flash point	? °C
R/S statement	R: ? S: ?
RTECS number	?
Supplementary data page
Structure and properties	n, εr, etc.
Thermodynamic data	Phase behaviour Solid, liquid, gas
Spectral data	UV, IR, NMR, MS
Related compounds
Other anions	?
Other cations	?
Related ?	?
Related compounds	?
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references

Image File history File links GABA.png‎ Summary Chemical structure of Gamma-aminobutyric acid created with ChemDraw. ... IUPAC nomenclature is a system of naming chemical compounds and of describing the science of chemistry in general. ... A chemical formula (also called molecular formula) is a concise way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound. ... The simplified molecular input line entry specification or SMILES is a specification for unambiguously describing the structure of chemical molecules using short ASCII strings. ... Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a chemical element or chemical compound. ... CAS registry numbers are unique numerical identifiers for chemical compounds, polymers, biological sequences, mixtures and alloys. ... Density (symbol: ρ - Greek: rho) is a measure of mass per unit of volume. ... In the physical sciences, a phase is a set of states of a macroscopic physical system that have relatively uniform chemical composition and physical properties (i. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Solution. ... Water (H2O, HOH) is the most abundant molecule on Earth, composing 70-75% of the Earths surface as liquid and solid state in addition to being found in the atmosphere as a vapor. ... The melting point of a solid is the temperature at which it changes state from solid to liquid. ... The boiling point of a substance is the temperature at which it can change its state from a liquid to a gas throughout the bulk of the liquid at a given pressure. ... In chemistry and biochemistry, the acid dissociation constant, the acidity constant, or the acid-ionization constant (Ka) is a specific type of equilibrium constant that indicates the extent of dissociation of hydrogen ions from an acid. ... In chemistry and biochemistry, the acid dissociation constant, the acidity constant, or the acid-ionization constant (Ka) is a specific type of equilibrium constant that indicates the extent of dissociation of hydrogen ions from an acid. ... The specific rotation of a chemical compound [α]D is defined as the observed angle of optical rotation α when light of 589 nanometer wavelength (the sodium D line) is passed through a sample with a path length of 0. ... The pitch drop experiment at the University of Queensland. ... The poise (P) is the cgs unit of viscosity, 1 P = 1 g·cm-1·s-1 The SI analog is 1 pascal second (Pa·s) = 1 kg·m-1·s-1 = 10 P. It is named after Jean Louis Marie Poiseuille. ... four sp³ orbitals three sp² orbitals In chemistry, hybridisation or hybridization (see spelling differences) is the mixing of atomic orbitals belonging to a same electron shell to form new orbitals suitable for the qualitative description of atomic bonding properties. ... The coordination geometry of an atom is the geometrical pattern formed by its neighbors in a molecule or a crystal. ... Rose des Sables (Sand Rose), formed of gypsum crystals In mineralogy and crystallography, a crystal structure is a unique arrangement of atoms in a crystal. ... The Earths magnetic field, which is approximately a dipole. ... The debye (symbol: D) is a non-SI and non-CGS unit of electrical dipole moment. ... A material safety data sheet or MSDS is a form containing data regarding the properties of a particular substance. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... NFPA 704 is a standard maintained by the U.S. National Fire Protection Association. ... The flash point of a flammable liquid is the lowest temperature at which it can form an ignitable mixture with air. ... Risk and Safety Statements, also known as R/S statements, R/S numbers, R/S phrases, and R/S sentences, is a system of hazard codes and phrases for labeling dangerous chemicals and compounds. ... R-phrases are defined in Annex III of European Union Directive 67/548/EEC: Nature of special risks attributed to dangerous substances and preparations. ... S-phrases are defined in Annex IV of European Union Directive 67/548/EEC: Safety advice concerning dangerous substances and preparations. ... RTECS, also known as Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances, is a database of toxicity information compiled from the open scientific literature that is available for charge. ... The refractive index (or index of refraction) of a material is the factor by which the phase velocity of electromagnetic radiation is slowed in that material, relative to its velocity in a vacuum. ... The dielectric constant εr (represented as or K in some cases) is defined as the ratio: where εs is the static permittivity of the material in question, and ε0 is the vacuum permittivity. ... Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy or Ultraviolet-Visible Spectrophotometry (UV/ VIS) involves the spectroscopy of photons (spectrophotometry). ... IR spectrum of a thin film of liquid ethanol. ... Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy most commonly known as NMR Spectroscopy is the name given to the technique which exploits the magnetic properties of nuclei. ... Basic schematic of mass spectrometry Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique used to measure the mass-to-charge ratio of ions. ... An ion is an atom, group of atoms, or subatomic particle that normally is electrically neutral and achieve their status as an ion by loss (and addition) of an electron. ... An ion is an atom, group of atoms, or subatomic particle that normally is electrically neutral and achieve their status as an ion by loss (and addition) of an electron. ... A question mark is a punctuation mark. ... In chemistry, the standard state of a material is its state at 1 bar (100 kilopascals) and 25 degrees Celsius (298. ...

Action and receptors

In vertebrates, GABA acts at inhibitory synapses in the brain. GABA acts by binding to specific receptors in the plasma membrane of both pre- and postsynaptic neurons. This binding causes the opening of ion channels to allow either the flow of negatively-charged chloride ions into the cell or positively-charged potassium ions out of the cell. This will typically result in a negative change in the transmembrane potential, usually causing hyperpolarization. Typical classes Petromyzontidae (lampreys) Placodermi - extinct Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) Acanthodii - extinct Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish) Actinistia (coelacanths) Dipnoi (lungfish) Amphibia (amphibians) Reptilia (reptiles) Aves (birds) Mammalia (mammals) Vertebrata is a subphylum of chordates, specifically, those with backbones or spinal columns. ... Illustration of the major elements in a prototypical synapse. ... Comparative brain sizes In animals, the brain, or encephalon (Greek for in the head), is the control center of the central nervous system. ... Transmembrane receptors are integral membrane proteins, which reside and operate typically within a cells plasma membrane, but also in the membranes of some subcellular compartments and organelles. ... Drawing of a cell membrane A component of every biological cell, the cell membrane (or plasma membrane) is a thin and structured bilayer of phospholipid and protein molecules that envelopes the cell. ... Drawing by Santiago Ramón y Cajal of neurons in the pigeon cerebellum. ... Another, unrelated ion channeling process is part of ion implantation. ... The chloride ion is formed when the element chlorine picks up one electron to form an anion (negatively-charged ion) Cl−. The salts of hydrochloric acid HCl contain chloride ions and are also called chlorides. ... Cells in culture, stained for keratin (red) and DNA (green). ... General Name, Symbol, Number potassium, K, 19 Chemical series alkali metals Group, Period, Block 1, 4, s Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 39. ... In membrane biophysics sometimes used interchangeably with cell potential, but applicable to any lipid bilayer or membrane. ... In biology, hyperpolarization is any change in a cells membrane potential that makes it more polarized. ...

Three general classes of GABA receptor are known. These include GABA_A and GABA_C ionotropic receptors, which are ion channels themselves, and GABA_B metabotropic receptors, which are G protein-coupled receptors that open ion channels via intermediaries (G proteins). The GABA-a pentameric receptor The GABAA receptor is one of the three ligand-gated ion channels responsible for mediating the effects of Gamma-AminoButyric Acid (GABA), the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human body. ... The GABAC receptor is also linked to chloride channels, with distinct physiological and pharmacological properties. ... Ionotropic receptor (also ligand gated ion channel) are a subclass of transmembrane receptors. ... GABAB receptors (GABABR) are metabotropic transmembrane receptors that are linked via G-proteins to potassium channels (Chen et al. ... Based on their structural and functional characteristics, neurotransmitter receptors can be classified into two broad categories: metabotropic and ionotropic receptors. ... The seven transmembrane α-helix structure of a G protein-coupled receptor. ... G-proteins, short for guanine nucleotide binding proteins, are a family of proteins involved in second messenger cascades. ...

Neurons that produce GABA as their output are called GABAergic neurons, and have chiefly inhibitory action at receptors in the vertebrate. Medium Spiny Cells are a typical example of inhibitory CNS GABAergic cells. GABA exhibits excitatory actions in insects, mediating muscle activation at synapses between nerves and muscle cells and also the stimulation of certain glands. GABA has also been shown to have excitatory roles in the vertebrate, most notably in the developing cortex. The medium spiny neurons are a special type of inhibitory cells representing approximately 75% of the neurons within the corpus striatum of the basal ganglia. ... A diagram showing the CNS: 1. ... Classes & Orders See taxonomy Insects are invertebrate animals of the Class Insecta, the largest and (on land) most widely-distributed taxon within the phylum Arthropoda. ... A top-down view of skeletal muscle Muscle (from Latin musculus little mouse, referring to muscles like the biceps which pop up as though a mouse were scurrying about under the skin [1]) is contractile tissue of the body and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. ... Nerves (yellow) Nerves redirects here. ... A gland is an organ in an animals body that synthesizes a substance for release such as hormones, often into the bloodstream (endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface (exocrine gland). ... The study of neural development draws on both neuroscience and developmental biology to describe the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which complex nervous systems emerge during embryonic development and throughout life. ...

Synthesis

Organisms synthesize GABA from glutamate using the enzyme L-glutamic acid decarboxylase and pyridoxal phosphate as a cofactor. It is worth noting that this involves converting the principal excitatory neurotransmitter (glutamate) into the principal inhibitory one (GABA). Glutamate is the anion of glutamic acid. ... I hate FREEHAND?POWERPOINT!!!!year= 2004|title= Simulations of the large kinetic isotope effect and the temperature dependence of the hydrogen atom transfer in lipoxygenase|journal = J. Am. ... L-Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) is an enzyme necessary for the synthesis of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA in GABAergic nerve endings. ... Pyridoxal-phosphate (PLP, pyridoxal-5-phosphate) is a cofactor of many enzymatic reactions. ... A cofactor is the following: In mathematics a cofactor is the minor of an element of a square matrix. ... Excitation is the amount of energy (energy in a general sense, not energy as defined in physics) that Curtis has. ...

Pharmacology

Drugs that act as agonists of GABA receptors (known as GABA analogues or GABAergic drugs) or increase the available amount of GABA typically have relaxing, anti-anxiety and anti-convulsive effects. Many of the substances below are known to cause short-term memory loss and retrograde amnesia. Agonists An agonist is a substance that binds to a receptor and triggers a response in the cell. ... Retrograde amnesia is a form of amnesia where someone will be unable to recall events that occurred before the onset of amnesia. ...

Drugs that affect GABA receptors:

• avermectins — doramectin, selamectin, ivermectin
• barbiturates
• bicucullines
• benzodiazepines
• baclofen
• tramadol
• opiates
• cannabinoids
• carbamazepines
• cyclopyrrolone derivatives — eszopiclone, zopiclone
• ethanol [1] [2]
• fluoroquinolones
• gabazine (SR-95531)
• gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) [3]
• imidazopyridines — zaleplon, zolpidem
• muscimol
• phenytoin
• picrotoxin
• progabide
• propofol
• phenibut
• thujone
• valproate

Drugs that affect GABA in other ways: Avermectin is a family of drugs whose analogues include ivermectin, selamectin, doramectin and abamectin. ... Doramectine, is a vitrenary drug approved from the FDA, it had 2 dossage orm injection and pour-on ... Selamectin is the active ingredient in Revolution, a topical insecticide and antihelminthic used on dogs and cats. ... Ivermectin sold under brand names Stromectol® in the US and Mectizan® in Canada. ... Barbiturates are drugs that act as central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and by virtue of this they produce a wide spectrum of effects, from mild sedation to anesthesia. ... Bicuculline (BIC) is an antagonist of GABA receptors. ... alprazolam 2mg tablets The benzodiazepines are a class of drugs with sedative, hypnotic, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, amnestic and muscle relaxant properties. ... Baclofen (brand names Kemstro® and Lioresal®) is a derivative of gamma-aminobutyric acid, and is a specific to GABAB receptors. ... Tramadol (INN) (IPA: ) is an atypical opioid which is a centrally acting analgesic, used for treating moderate to severe pain. ... An opioid is any agent that binds to opioid receptors found principally in the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. ... Cannabinoids are a group of chemicals which activate the bodys cannabinoid receptors. ... Carbamazepine (sold under the brand-names Biston, Calepsin, Carbatrol, Epitol, Equetro, Finlepsin, Sirtal, Stazepine, Tegretol, Telesmin, Timonil) is an anticonvulsant and mood stabilizing drug, used primarily in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder. ... Cyclopyrrolone (often erroneously spelled Cyclopryrrolone) is a hypnotic and anxiolytic non-benzodiazepine agent with benzodiazepine like properties. ... Eszopiclone, available under the brand-name Lunesta, is a nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic agent used as a medication in treatment of insomnia. ... Zopiclone (trade names: Imovaneâ„¢ and Zimovaneâ„¢) is a novel hypnotic agent used in the treatment of insomnia. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Quinolones and fluoroquinolones form a group of broad-spectrum antibiotics. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (4-hydroxybutanoic acid, C4H8O3) is both a drug and a naturally occurring compound found in the mammalian brain, where it might function as a neurotransmitter. ... The imidazopyridines are a class of drugs related to benzodiazepines. ... Zaleplon (Sonata®/Starnoc®) is a sedative/hypnotic, mainly used for insomnia. ... Zolpidem is a prescription drug used for the short-term treatment of insomnia. ... Muscimol (agarin, pantherine) is the psychoactive compound present in Amanita muscaria and Amanita Pantherina. ... Phenytoin sodium (marketed as Dilantin® in the USA and as Epanutin® in the UK, by Parke-Davis, now part of Pfizer) is a commonly used antiepileptic. ... Picrotoxin is an antagonist of GABA receptors. ... Progabide (INN) is an analog of gamma-aminobutyric acid used in the treatment of epilepsy. ... Propofol is an intravenous anesthetic agent used for the induction of general anesthesia in adult patients and pediatric patients older than 3 years of age; maintenance of general anesthesia in adult patients and pediatric patients older than 2 months of age; and intensive care unit (ICU) sedation for intubated, mechanically... Beta-phenyl-gamma-aminobutyric acid, better known as Phenibut or less commonly Fenibut or Phenybut, is a neuropsychotropic drug, derived from the neurotransmitter GABA that is capable of passing the blood brain barrier. ... Thujone (C10H16O) is a chemical compound. ... Valproic acid or 2-Propylpentanoic acid is CH3CH2CH2CH(CH2CH2CH3)COOH . ...

• tiagabine - potentiates by inhibiting uptake into neurons and glia
• vigabatrin - potentiates by inhibiting GABA-T, preventing GABA breakdown

Tiagabine is an anti-convulsive medication produced by Cephalon and marketed under the brand name Gabitril. ... Neuroglia cells of the brain shown by Golgis method. ... Vigabatrin is an anticonvulsant that inhibits the catabolism of GABA. It is an analog of GABA, but it is not a receptor agonist. ...

External links

• The role of GABA in the pathogenesis and treatment of anxiety and other neuropsychiatric disorders
• Link page to external chemical sources.