catabolism
Pronunciation: kă-tab′ō-lizm
Definition:
- The breaking down in the body of complex chemical compounds into simpler ones (glycogen to CO2 and H2O), often accompanied by the liberation of energy.
- The sum of all degradative processes.
Synonym(s): dissimilation2
[G. katabolē, a casting down]
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Examples: glitazone, GI cocktail, etc.
