[Physiological role and clinical significance of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyethyleneglycol, a noradrenaline metabolite (review of the literature)].

Biochemical pathways of noradrenaline conversion into free and bound forms of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl ethyleneglycol (MOPEG) in central and peripheral noradrenergic neurones, content of free and bound forms of MOPEG in various biological fluids as well as relative amount of the substance in central and peripheral pools and, at last, clinical importance of the noradrenaline metabolite study are reviewed. The first part of the review considers the experimental data of noradrenaline metabolism in animal brain, the second and third parts deal with experimental and clinical studies of content, role and importance of MOPEG in a human body. Perspectives of MOPEG studies for diagnostic purposes as well as for the more accurate analysis of catecholamine metabolism and of sympathoadrenal system functional state under clinical and experimental conditions are considered.