3,4-Dihydroxyphenylglycolaldehyde

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylglycolaldehyde, also known as 3,4-dihydroxymandelaldehyde as well as norepinephrine aldehyde or epinephrine aldehyde, is a metabolite of the monoamine neurotransmitters norepinephrine and epinephrine. DOPEGAL is a noradrenergic neurotoxin.

Formation

DOPEGAL is formed by monoamine oxidase via oxidative deamination. Following its formation, DOPEGAL is metabolized. Through the metabolism process, it is converted into 3,4-dihydroxymandelic acid via aldehyde dehydrogenase, or into 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol via aldehyde reductase.