Hypoxanthine is a naturally occurring compound that is part of the purine metabolism pathway in the body. It is a product of the breakdown of adenine, one of the building blocks of DNA and RNA. Hypoxanthine can be converted into xanthine and then into uric acid, which is excreted from the body. In addition to its role in metabolism, hypoxanthine is also used in various biochemical applications, including as a substrate in laboratory experiments. It can be found in certain foods and is produced during the degradation of nucleic acids, contributing to the overall pool of purines in the body.