xanthoproteic reaction

noun

xan·​tho·​proteic reaction

variants or xanthoproteic test

¦zan(t)thə+...-

: the reaction of warm concentrated nitric acid with tyrosine or tyrosine-containing proteins (as in human skin) to form a yellow color that is intensified to orange-yellow by the addition of alkali

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary xanth- + proteic

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