methylazoxymethanol

Methylazoxymethanol is a **potent DNA-alkylating agent** and carcinogen that acts as a biological methylating compound similar to certain nitrosamines[9][12]. It is naturally found in cycad seeds and is actually a metabolite and active toxic component of compounds such as cycasin and methylazoxymethanol acetate[12]. Methylazoxymethanol is unstable under physiological conditions, rapidly decomposing to generate the highly reactive methyldiazonium ion, which is a potent electrophilic methylating agent able to alkylate DNA bases (notably at O6 and N7 positions of guanine), leading to formation of mutagenic DNA adducts and subsequent carcinogenicity[2][7]. It is used primarily as an experimental tool and research chemical in the creation of animal models of neurological disease, cancer, and particularly in toxicology and carcinogenesis studies[1][3][7]. Not approved or developed as a pharmaceutical for therapeutic use, it is mainly manufactured and distributed as a chemical for laboratory and experimental use.

Other names

1-(2-Methyl-2-oxidodiazenyl)methanol(Z)-hydroxymethylimino-methyl-oxidoazanium