N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine hydrochloride

**N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine hydrochloride** (MPTP hydrochloride) is a synthetic, neurotoxic small molecule that serves as a selective dopaminergic neurotoxin in research. It is primarily used to induce Parkinson’s disease-like pathology in animal models. After crossing the blood-brain barrier, MPTP is metabolized by monoamine oxidase B in astrocytes to form the active toxic metabolite MPP⁺, which selectively destroys dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. MPP⁺ inhibits mitochondrial complex I, resulting in neuronal apoptosis due to oxidative stress and bioenergetic failure. MPTP itself is not used clinically but is an important research tool for studying Parkinson's disease and test therapies for neuroprotection and neurodegeneration[1][4][8][9].

Other names

MPTP1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine hydrochlorideMPTP-hydrochloride1-methyl-4-phenyl-3,6-dihydro-2H-pyridine;hydrochloridePethidine EP Impurity B HCl