Glutamic acid (Glu (or E))

Glutamic acid is a non-essential amino acid, meaning humans can synthesize it de novo.[2][7][9] It consists of an α-amino group, an α-carboxyl group, and a distinctive side chain terminating in a carboxylic acid, giving it acidic properties at physiological pH.[1][5][7] In proteins and metabolic pathways, it fulfills crucial roles as a metabolic intermediate and as the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain (in the form of glutamate), mediating synaptic transmission essential to cognition, memory, and learning.[4][6][8] It is also important in nitrogen disposal (via the urea cycle), as a precursor to other amino acids, and in the regulation of cellular redox state via glutathione production. Although central to neurobiology, energy metabolism, and cellular function, glutamic acid itself is not a typical therapeutic "target"—therapies usually target glutamate receptors, transporters, or enzymes that act on or regulate glutamate[3][4][6][7][8].

Other names

glutamateL-glutamic acidα-aminoglutaric acidE (one-letter code)Glu (three-letter code)

Not applicable for glutamic acid itself; clinically, drugs may modulate glutamate receptors or transport, not the amino acid directly.