Tags: Chemical Compound, Chemical Substance.
MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1236-tetrahydropyridine) is a neurotoxin precursor to MPP+ which causes permanent symptoms of Parkinson’s disease by destroying dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the brain. It has been used to study disease models in various animal studies.While MPTP itself has no psychoactive effects the compound may be accidentally produced during the manufacture of MPPP a synthetic opioid drug with effects similar to those of morphine and pethidine (meperidine).
