betaine

[ bee-tuh-een, -in; bih-tey-een, -in ]

noun

, Chemistry, Pharmacology.

1. a colorless, crystalline, water-soluble, sweet-tasting alkaloid, C 5 H 11 NO 2 , usually obtained from sugar beets or synthesized from glycine, used chiefly in medicine.

betaine

/ -ɪn; -ɪn; ˈbiːtəˌiːn; bɪˈteɪiːn /

noun

1. a sweet-tasting alkaloid that occurs in the sugar beet and other plants and in animals. Formula: C 5 H 11 NO 2
2. plural a group of chemical compounds that resemble betaine and are slightly basic zwitterions

betaine

/ bē′tə-ēn′,-ĭn /

1. Any of a class of organic salts that are derived from amino acids and have a cationic (positively charged) component that consists of a nitrogen atom attached to three methyl (CH 3 ) groups.
2. A salt of this class that is a sweet crystalline alkaloid first found in sugar beets but also widely occurring in other plants and in animals. Betaine is used in the treatment of muscular weakness and degeneration. Chemical formula: C 5 H 11 NO 2 .

Word History and Origins

Origin of betaine¹

1875–80; < Latin bēta beet + -ine ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of betaine¹

C19: from New Latin Bēta beet + -ine ²

Example Sentences

To determine whether betaine could actually control growth in newborns, Lerin and colleagues moved on to mice.

From Science Magazine

Zinc strengthens the intestinal barrier, and betaine is known to protect cells from environmental stress.

From Scientific American

If one of these products is irritating your skin, cocamidopropyl betaine is a likely culprit.

From Washington Times

Detergents such as sodium lauryl sulfate and cocamidopropyl betaine make toothpaste foam up as you brush.

From Washington Post

Beets are dense with nutrients, including potassium, betaine, magnesium, folate, and Vitamin C and a good dose of nitrates.

From Los Angeles Times