Dihydrokainic acid is a selective inhibitor of the glutamate transporter EAAT2 (also known as GLT-1), widely used in neuroscience research to study glutamate uptake and extracellular homeostasis in the central nervous system. It enables investigation of excitotoxic mechanisms, synaptic transmission regulation, and the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders by blocking glutamate reuptake without activating ionotropic receptors. Structurally similar to kainic acid but lacking the isopropenyl group, it does not act as a receptor agonist, allowing specific probing of transporter function. Commonly applied in models of epilepsy, stroke-induced ischemia, ALS, and neuronal injury.