Phenolics metabolism disruption

One of the problems faced by catechol compounds, such as noradrenaline, is the metabolic methylation of one of the phenolic groups. Since both phenol groups are involved in hydrogen bonds to the receptor, the masking of one of the phenol groups disrupts the hydrogen bonding and makes the compound inactive. 

OEHHA Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment OSHA Occnpational Safety and Health Administration Osteogenic sarcoma Cancer associated with bone structures Oxidation Chemical addition of oxygen to break down pollutants or organic waste, for example, destruction of chemical substances such as cyanides, phenols, and organic sulfur compounds in sewage by bacterial and chemical means Oxidative stress Process whereby the metabolic balance of a cell is disrupted by exposure to environmental substances, resulting in accumulation of free radicals, which can damage the cell... 

The organic chemicals examined by Mackay (1982) are considered to be narcotics (Veith et al. 1983) which have a non-specific mode of action. On the other hand, many substituted phenols are not strictly narcotic in action as they appear to cause toxicity by a specific mode of action, disrupting metabolism by inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation (Kozak et al. 1979). 

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