NCIt 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.;