ibotenic acid

Ibotenic acid is a naturally occurring alpha-amino acid and neurotoxin found in several Amanita mushroom species (including Amanita muscaria and Amanita pantherina). It is a conformationally-restricted analogue of glutamate and acts primarily as a potent, non-selective agonist at glutamate receptors, strongly activating NMDA, group I and II metabotropic glutamate receptors, and weakly activating AMPA and kainate receptors. Through in vivo decarboxylation, ibotenic acid also serves as a prodrug for muscimol, a potent GABAA and GABAA-ρ receptor agonist. Ibotenic acid is neurotoxic and widely used in research to selectively cause excitotoxic brain lesions in animal models, particularly for studying CNS function, learning, and neurodegeneration. It induces neuronal damage by overactivating glutamate receptors, leading to calcium overload and oxidative stress.[1][4][9][7]

Other names

(S)-2-amino-2-(3-hydroxyisoxazol-5-yl)acetic acidα-Amino-(3-hydroxy-5-isoxazolyl)acetic acid2552-55-8IBOIBOTENIC ACIDibotenate