Question
What are the causes of organic acid metabolism abnormalities?
Answer
Organic acid metabolism abnormalities refer to the abnormal process of metabolizing many acidic organic compounds. The most common organic acids are carboxylic acids, whose acidity comes from the carboxyl group (-COOH). Sulfonic acids (-SO3H), sulfonic acids (RSOOH), and thio carboxylic acids (RCOSH) also belong to organic acids. Organic acids can react with alcohols to form esters. Generally, fatty acid organic acids are considered to have no specific biological activity, but some organic acids like tartaric acid and citric acid are used in pharmaceuticals. There are also reports that malic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, and ascorbic acid may have comprehensive effects on the central nervous system. Some special organic acids are effective components of certain herbs, such as the tannic acid in cortex mori, which has antifungal properties. Derivatives of caffeic acid have certain biological activities, such as chlorogenic acid, which is an effective component in many herbs and has antibacterial, choleretic, and leukocyte-lowering effects.