Oxidopamine

**Semantic type:** Organic Chemical|Pharmacologic Substance

**Definition:** An antagonist of the neurotransmitter dopamine with potential antineoplastic activity. 6-Hydroxydopamine (6-HOD) can be taken up by selective adrenergic terminals, thereby causing acute degeneration of adrenergic terminals that leads to depletion of norepinephrine, and of dopamine in the dopamine-sensitive sites. This agent is auto-oxidated at physiological pH that leads to the formation of reactive free radicals, thereby leading to cytotoxicity in neural cells. 6-Hydroxydopamine is often used to induce CNS and sympathetic neural lesions that model aging and various nervous disorders in animal systems.

**Synonyms:** - 2,4,5-Trihydroxyphenethylamine - 5-(2-Aminoethyl)-1,2,4-benzenetriol - 5-(2-Aminoethyl)-1,2,4-benzenetriol - 6-Hydroxydopamine - 6-OHDA - OXIDOPAMINE