3-Methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol
Chemical compound
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
3-Methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG, MOPEG) is a metabolite of norepinephrine degradation. In the brain, it is the principal norepinephrine metabolite. It is released into the blood and cerebrospinal fluid,[1] and a blood sample of it may therefore be an indication of recent sympathetic nervous system activity.
| Names | |
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| Preferred IUPAC name
1-(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)ethane-1,2-diol | |
| Other names
MHPG | |
| Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol) |
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| ChemSpider | |
| KEGG | |
| MeSH | Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol |
PubChem CID |
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| UNII | |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
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| Properties | |
| C9H12O4 | |
| Molar mass | 184.18918 |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Low levels of MHPG in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid are associated with anorexia nervosa and pathological gambling, indicating that norepinephrine may play a role in these behaviors.[2]

