Definition for View source for Hipposudoric acid

Hipposudoric acid is a red pigment found in the skin secretions of the hippopotamus; although the secretions are often known as "blood sweat" (thus the name "hipposudoric", referring to "hippo sweat"), they are neither blood nor sweat. Like its orange-colored analog norhipposudoric acid, hipposudoric acid functions both as a natural sunscreen and as an antimicrobial agent. It is derived from the oxidative dimerization of homogentisic acid.