The esters of propionic acid are sometimes used as solvents or artificial flavorings. Propionic acid was first found among the degradation products of sugar. Without an ester group, many medication levels peak in the bloodstream. EU. Learn About the Symptoms and Treatment Options for Carpenter Syndrome, Kearns-Sayre Syndrome Can Be a Rare Cause of Eye Problems, Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Find out How Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Developes, Why Getting a Rare Disease Diagnosis Is So Difficult, Propionic acidemia: clinical course and outcome in 55 pediatric and adolescent patients, Methylmalonic and propionic acidemias: clinical management update, Developmental delay and intellectual disability, Blood problems (like decreased numbers of certain immune cells and anemia), Basic blood work (to assess for response to infection, anemia, glucose levels, basic organ function, etc. Prenatal testing and embryo selection may also be an option. NACRES: NA.21 . Linear Formula: CH 3 CH 2 COOH. Your browser does not support JavaScript. In low doses, manufacturers use the acid as a preservative and as an antimicrobial agent in foods produced for human consumption. Propionic acid. Shchelochkov OA, Carrillo N, Venditti C. Propionic acidemia. Individuals also need to be educated to avoid fasting and other potential stressors. This inhibits normal cell function and growth, causing death. Propionic acid displays the general properties of carboxylic acids, and, like most other carboxylic acids, it can form amide, ester, anhydride, and chloride derivatives. It is also produced by the aerobic oxidation of propionaldehyde. The human skin is host to a species of bacteria known as Propionibacterium acnes, which is named after its ability to produce propionic acid. The chief danger from propionic acid is chemical burns that can result from contact with the concentrated liquid. Individuals with propionic acidemia might need interventions like the following: Over the long-term, dietary management is a cornerstone of treatment for propionic acidemia. This is called “decompensation” of the illness, and it can lead to coma and other life-threatening problems.. Genetic tests of the PCCA and the PCCB genes can also be used to finalize the diagnosis. Other symptoms may result because of dysfunctions in energy production resulting from the problem with this step of metabolism. © 1997-2020 LUMITOS AG, All rights reserved, https://www.chemeurope.com/en/encyclopedia/Propionic_acid.html, Your browser is not current. Many of these symptoms of the condition may wax and wane over time, with periodic worsening. A recent publication by MacFabe and colleagues found that intraventricular infusions of propionic acid produced reversible behavior that was very similar to that seen in autism. 2013;8:6. doi:10.1186/1750-1172-8-6. Pharmaceutical companies commonly include propionic acid in the formulation of steroidal and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDS) medications. In addition, the treated rats demonstrated caudate spiking and the progressive development of limbic kindled seizures. What Is Methylmalonic Acidemia With Homocystinuria? Since propionic acid has three carbons, propionyl-CoA can enter neither beta oxidation nor the citric acid cycle. This might be particularly helpful for patients who experience frequent decompensations. Fluticasone inhalers used for respiratory conditions commonly contain propionic acid. Metabolism takes place through a complicated and highly coordinated sequence of chemical reactions, so problems in many different genes can lead to some sort of disruption of normal metabolic processes. Bacteria of the genus Propionibacterium produce propionic acid as the end product of their anaerobic metabolism. Ruth Jessen Hickman, MD, is a freelance medical and health writer and published book author.