hydrochloric acid

HCl; the acid of gastric juice. The commercial product is used as an escharotic; the gas and the concentrated solution are strong irritants. SYN: muriatic acid.

- diluted h. a preparation that contains, in each 100 mL, 10 g of HCl; used internally for achlorhydria.

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hy·dro·chlo·ric acid .hī-drə-.klōr-ik-, -.klȯr- n an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride HCl that is a strong corrosive irritating acid, is normally present in dilute form in gastric juice, and is widely used in industry and in the laboratory called also muriatic acid

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a strong acid present, in a very dilute form, in gastric juice. The secretion of excess hydrochloric acid by the stomach results in the condition hyperchlorhydria.

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hy·dro·chlo·ric ac·id (hi″dro-klorґik) a term applied to aqueous solutions of hydrogen chloride (HCl); it is a highly corrosive strong mineral acid commonly used as a laboratory reagent. HCl is secreted by the gastric parietal cells in response to the presence of gastrin or histamine or to vagal stimulation. This normally reduces the pH of the stomach contents to below 2.0.