Metabolism / Metabolites
Known metabolites of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid include 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, protocatechuic acid, and 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid. 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid is a known metabolite of anthocyanins.

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[1]. Elevated cerebrospinal fluid ratios of cysteinyl-dopamine/3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid in parkinsonian synucleinopathies. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2016 Oct;31:79-86.

(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)acetic acid is a dihydroxyphenylacetic acid with two hydroxyl substituents located at the 3 and 4 positions, respectively. It is a metabolite of dopamine and plays a metabolic role in the human body. It is a dihydroxyphenylacetic acid belonging to the catechol class of compounds. Its function is related to phenylacetic acid. It is the conjugate acid of (3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)acetic acid ester. 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid has been reported to exist in Salvia officinalis, Tragopogon orientalis, and other organisms with relevant data. It is a deamination metabolite of levodopa.

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- 3,4-Dihydroxybenzeneacetic acid is a deaminated metabolite of dopamine, actively extruded from dopaminergic cells into the extracellular fluid, and CSF DOPAC is directly related to brain DOPAC content. [1]
- In the study, CSF levels of 3,4-Dihydroxybenzeneacetic acid were measured simultaneously with other catechols including Cys-DA. Normal CSF DOPAC levels were about 1.60 pmol/mL in control subjects. Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy-parkinsonian type (MSA-P) showed significantly decreased mean CSF DOPAC compared to controls (0.94 ± 0.09 pmol/mL in PD, 0.89 ± 0.08 pmol/mL in MSA-P, p < 0.0001 each). In pure autonomic failure (PAF, a non-parkinsonian synucleinopathy), mean CSF DOPAC (1.43 ± 0.10 pmol/mL) was not significantly different from controls. [1]
- The CSF ratio of Cys-DA to 3,4-Dihydroxybenzeneacetic acid was substantially increased in PD and MSA-P (0.14 ± 0.02 and 0.13 ± 0.02 respectively) compared to controls (0.05 ± 0.01) and PAF (0.05 ± 0.01), indicating that this ratio provides a specific biomarker of parkinsonism in synucleinopathies. [1]
- 3,4-Dihydroxybenzeneacetic acid is a more sensitive and specific biomarker of central dopamine deficiency than homovanillic acid (HVA), because CSF DOPAC is derived from intra-neuronal metabolism of cytoplasmic dopamine, whereas CSF HVA is determined complexly by both extra-neuronal metabolism of released dopamine and extra-neuronal metabolism of released DOPAC. [1]
- The CSF DOPAC data from most subjects in this study had been previously reported, and reproducibility of assay results was excellent (r = 0.92, p < 0.0001, n = 125) when comparing different aliquots from the same subjects. [1]

C8H8O4

168.1467

168.042

102-32-9

547

White to gray solid powder

1.5±0.1 g/cm3

418.4±30.0 °C at 760 mmHg

127-130 °C(lit.)

221.0±21.1 °C

0.0±1.0 mmHg at 25°C

1.643

0.17

3

4

2

12

168

0

CFFZDZCDUFSOFZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N

InChI=1S/C8H8O4/c9-6-2-1-5(3-7(6)10)4-8(11)12/h1-3,9-10H,4H2,(H,11,12)

2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)acetic acid

2934.99.9001

Powder      -20°C    3 years

                     4°C     2 years

In solvent   -80°C    6 months

                  -20°C    1 month

Room temperature (This product is stable at ambient temperature for a few days during ordinary shipping and time spent in Customs)

May dissolve in DMSO (in most cases), if not, try other solvents such as H2O, Ethanol, or DMF with a minute amount of products to avoid loss of samples

Note: Listed below are some common formulations that may be used to formulate products with low water solubility (e.g. < 1 mg/mL), you may test these formulations using a minute amount of products to avoid loss of samples.

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Injection Formulation 1: DMSO : Tween 80： Saline = 10 : 5 : 85 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO stock solution → 50 μL Tween 80 → 850 μL Saline)
*Preparation of saline: Dissolve 0.9 g of sodium chloride in 100 mL ddH ₂ O to obtain a clear solution.
Injection Formulation 2: DMSO : PEG300 ：Tween 80 : Saline = 10 : 40 : 5 : 45 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 400 μLPEG300 → 50 μL Tween 80 → 450 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 3: DMSO : Corn oil = 10 : 90 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 900 μL Corn oil)
Example: Take the Injection Formulation 3 (DMSO : Corn oil = 10 : 90) as an example, if 1 mL of 2.5 mg/mL working solution is to be prepared, you can take 100 μL 25 mg/mL DMSO stock solution and add to 900 μL corn oil, mix well to obtain a clear or suspension solution (2.5 mg/mL, ready for use in animals).

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Injection Formulation 4: DMSO : 20% SBE-β-CD in saline = 10 : 90 [i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 900 μL (20% SBE-β-CD in saline)]
*Preparation of 20% SBE-β-CD in Saline (4°C，1 week): Dissolve 2 g SBE-β-CD in 10 mL saline to obtain a clear solution.
Injection Formulation 5: 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin : Saline = 50 : 50 (i.e. 500 μL 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin → 500 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 6: DMSO : PEG300 : castor oil : Saline = 5 : 10 : 20 : 65 (i.e. 50 μL DMSO → 100 μLPEG300 → 200 μL castor oil → 650 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 7: Ethanol : Cremophor : Saline = 10： 10 : 80 (i.e. 100 μL Ethanol → 100 μL Cremophor → 800 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 8: Dissolve in Cremophor/Ethanol (50 : 50), then diluted by Saline
Injection Formulation 9: EtOH : Corn oil = 10 : 90 (i.e. 100 μL EtOH → 900 μL Corn oil)
Injection Formulation 10: EtOH : PEG300：Tween 80 : Saline = 10 : 40 : 5 : 45 (i.e. 100 μL EtOH → 400 μLPEG300 → 50 μL Tween 80 → 450 μL Saline)

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Oral Formulation 1: Suspend in 0.5% CMC Na (carboxymethylcellulose sodium)
Oral Formulation 2: Suspend in 0.5% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Example: Take the Oral Formulation 1 (Suspend in 0.5% CMC Na) as an example, if 100 mL of 2.5 mg/mL working solution is to be prepared, you can first prepare 0.5% CMC Na solution by measuring 0.5 g CMC Na and dissolve it in 100 mL ddH2O to obtain a clear solution; then add 250 mg of the product to 100 mL 0.5% CMC Na solution, to make the suspension solution (2.5 mg/mL, ready for use in animals).

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Oral Formulation 3: Dissolved in PEG400
Oral Formulation 4: Suspend in 0.2% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Oral Formulation 5: Dissolve in 0.25% Tween 80 and 0.5% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Oral Formulation 6: Mixing with food powders

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Note: Please be aware that the above formulations are for reference only. InvivoChem strongly recommends customers to read literature methods/protocols carefully before determining which formulation you should use for in vivo studies, as different compounds have different solubility properties and have to be formulated differently.

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 (Please use freshly prepared in vivo formulations for optimal results.)