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pyruvic acid

noun

A compound produced by glycolysis. If oxygen is available, pyruvic acid is converted to acetyl coenzyme A that enters the energy-producing pathway, the Krebs cycle. If oxygen is lacking, pyruvic acid is converted to lactic acid. This compound is also used in the body to synthesize the amino acid, alanine.

Chemical formula: CH₃COCO₂H

Word origin: PYR(O)– + Latin ūva, grape (from its being produced by the dry distillation of racemic acid, originally derived from grapes) + –IC