title: Electrochemistry of norcocaine nitroxide and related compounds: implications for cocaine hepatotoxicity.
abstract: Norcocaine nitroxide, a free radical metabolite of cocaine, displays a reversible one-electron cyclic voltammogram which is abolished by the addition of reduced glutathione. The corresponding nitrosonium ion was synthesized. It showed the same electrochemical characteristics as the nitroxide. The spin label 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPOL) and its nitrosonium ion behaved like morcocaine nitroxide and its nitrosonium ion. The nitrosonium ion of TEMPOL caused hemolysis of red blood cells, but TEMPOL did not. These observations suggest that the highly reactive nitrosonium ion may be involved in the production of cocaine-induced hepatic necrosis in mice.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Charkoudian
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shuster
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003042:Cocaine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003497:Cyclic N-Oxides; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013113:Spin Labels; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014118:Toxins, Biological
chemical_list: D003497:Cyclic N-Oxides; D013113:Spin Labels; D014118:Toxins, Biological; C034955:norcocaine nitroxide; D003042:Cocaine; C001803:tempol