ornithine

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An amino acid not found in proteins that helps remove ammonia from the body

noun
/ˈɔrnəˌθin/

Specialized

: ornitina

Ornithine is essential in the ornithine cycle, helping remove surplus nitrogen from the body.
ornithine and lysine
ornithine and arginine

Examples

There are supplements that can help here as well, like: L-Ornithine L-Lysine.

Blog text (12)
This carbamoyl phosphate will then react with an ornithine molecule.
Research indicates that ornithine can enhance recovery after intense exercise by aiding in muscle metabolism.
In metabolism, ornithine plays a crucial role by acting as a precursor to the synthesis of arginine.

Surface Forms

ornithine singular

ornithines plural

Morphology

ornithine = ornith (opaque) = ornith + ine

Although built from the combining form 'ornith-' (bird) + the chemical suffix '-ine', the modern meaning 'an amino acid' is not derivable from those parts for an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Ornithine comes from the Greek root ornith-, meaning 'bird', the same root you see in ornithology. Scientists named it after birds because they first found it in bird material, so a helpful way to remember ornithine, an amino acid that helps remove ammonia from the body, is to think 'bird'.