TCA
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | Tricarboxylic acid cycle |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Science & Engineering, Medical |
TCA has three meanings. The most common are Tricarboxylic acid cycle (biology) and Trichloroacetic acid (dermatology); it can also stand for Tricyclic antidepressant.
Meanings of TCA at a glance
| # | TCA stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tricarboxylic acid cycle | Science & Engineering › Biology |
| 2 | Trichloroacetic acid | Medical › Dermatology |
| 3 | Tricyclic antidepressant | Medical › Drug Class |
1. Tricarboxylic acid cycle
Science & Engineering · Biology Abbreviations
Central metabolic pathway in mitochondria that oxidizes acetyl groups from carbohydrates, fats and proteins to carbon dioxide, capturing energy as NADH, FADH2 and GTP or ATP. Its intermediates also feed the synthesis of amino acids, fats and heme.
Example: Each acetyl-CoA entering the TCA cycle yields three NADH, one FADH2 and one GTP.
Also called the citric acid cycle or Krebs cycle, after Hans Krebs, who worked it out in 1937 and shared the 1953 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. "Tricarboxylic" refers to citrate and isocitrate, which have three carboxyl groups. Mutations in TCA enzymes such as IDH and fumarate hydratase occur in some cancers.
2. Trichloroacetic acid
Medical · Dermatology Abbreviations · also used in science
Acid used in dermatology for chemical peels, from superficial peels at low concentrations to medium-depth peels at about 35 percent, and for treating warts and acne scars. It works by coagulating proteins in the outer skin layers, which then peel.
Example: 35 percent TCA medium-depth peel for photoaging; expect frosting and peeling for 7 days.
The "CROSS" technique applies high-strength TCA precisely into individual ice-pick acne scars. TCA is also used in clinics to treat external genital warts. In psychiatry and pharmacology TCA far more often means tricyclic antidepressant, a completely different term.
3. Tricyclic antidepressant
Medical · Drug Class Abbreviations
Older antidepressants named for their three-ring chemical structure, such as amitriptyline, nortriptyline, imipramine and clomipramine. Low doses are now used more for nerve pain, migraine prevention and insomnia than for depression.
Example: Amitriptyline (TCA) 10 mg at bedtime for migraine prevention; ECG baseline normal.
Imipramine, introduced in the late 1950s, was among the first antidepressants. TCAs are dangerous in overdose, causing seizures and wide-QRS heart rhythms treated with sodium bicarbonate, so large supplies are avoided in people at risk of suicide. Anticholinergic effects make them a Beers Criteria concern in older adults. In dermatology TCA means trichloroacetic acid.
Related abbreviations
More biology abbreviations
- AA – Amino acid
- ADP – Adenosine diphosphate
- AMP – Adenosine monophosphate
- ATP – Adenosine triphosphate
- BMR – Basal metabolic rate
- BSA – Bovine serum albumin
- BSL – Biosafety level
- CAM – Crassulacean acid metabolism
See all 75 biology abbreviations →
More dermatology abbreviations
- SJS – Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- SK – Seborrheic keratosis
- SPF – Sun protection factor
- SSSS – Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome
- TCI – Topical calcineurin inhibitors
- TCS – Topical corticosteroids
- TEN – Toxic epidermal necrolysis
- UPF – Ultraviolet protection factor
See all 52 dermatology abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.