Agent Name
Methylazoxymethanol
Major Category
Biological Agents
Synonyms
1-Hydroxymethyl-2-methyldiimide-2-oxide; MAM; Methanol, (methyl-ONN-azoxy)-; [ChemIDplus]
Sources/Uses
The biologically active aglycone of cycasin (toxic substance found in seeds of various Cycas plants); [HSDB]
Comments
Acts as biological methylating agent; Similar in action to carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds; Nervous system malformations, mental defects, and tumors seen in offspring of rats and hamsters injected during pregnancy; Evidence for carcinogenicity in experimental animals; [HSDB] A neuroteratogen; [ChemIDplus] Causes changes in recordings from specific areas of brain in intraperitoneal toxic-dose studies of rats; [RTECS]
Neurotoxin
Other CNS neurotoxin
IARC Carcinogen
Possible (2b)
Other Information
No other related information on this agent was found.