arginine (Arg R)

Term: arginine (Arg R)

Literally meaning: “pertaining to silver”

Origin: Anc Greek

/áργυρος/argiros(=silver, white metal)

Coined/History 

Arginine was isolated by Swiss chemist Ernst Schulze in 1886 from extracts of etiolated seedlings  and by Hedin in 1895 by animal protein  (horn). Finally its structure was not proven until 1910 by Sorenson. Schulze decided this name  because of the silvery white appearance of the arginine nitrate. 

Sources

 1.Schultz E, Steiger E. Über das Arginin. Z Physiol Chem. 1886;11:43–65.

2.Hedin SG. Über die Bildung von Arginin aus Proteinkörper. Z Physiol Chem.1895;21:155–168.

3. Sorensen SPL. Über die Synthese des dl-Arginins (α-amino-δ-guanidino-n-Valeriansaure) und der Isomeren δ-guanidino-α-amino-n-Valeriansaure). Chem Ber. 1910;43:643–651.

Definition

Arginine is a non essential amino acid (it can be manufactured by the human body) or semiessential which plays an important role in the healing of wounds, cell division and ammonia detoxification. It is a precursor for nitric oxide(a blood vessel-widening), urea, ornithine and creatine.