1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-d5

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-d5, also known as MPTP-d5, is a deuterated form of the neurotoxin MPTP. It is used in medical research to study Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. MPTP-d5 is a potent inhibitor of mitochondrial complex I, which leads to a decrease in ATP production and an increase in reactive oxygen species. This, in turn, causes oxidative stress and neuronal death, mimicking the pathology of Parkinson's disease. Researchers use MPTP-d5 to induce Parkinson's-like symptoms in animal models, allowing them to study the disease's mechanisms and test potential treatments. In addition to its use in research, MPTP-d5 can also be used as a reference standard in analytical chemistry. Its deuterated form allows for more precise detection and quantification in mass spectrometry and other analytical techniques. However, MPTP-d5 is highly toxic and must be handled with extreme care. It can cause severe neurological damage and has been linked to cases of Parkinson's disease in humans. Therefore, it is strictly regulated and only available for scientific and medical purposes.