Medical Term:
chaotropism
Pronunciation: kā′ō-trōp′izm
Definition: Property of some substances, usually ions (SCN−, ClO4−, guanidinium), to disrupt the structure of water and thereby promote the solubility of nonpolar substances in polar solvents (water), the unfolding of proteins, the elution from or movement through a chromatographic medium of an otherwise tightly bound substance, etc.
[G. chaos, disorder, confusion, + tropē, a turning]
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Examples: glitazone, GI cocktail, etc.
