Dehydromonocrotaline induces cyclosporine A-insensitive mitochondrial permeability transition/cytochrome c release.

Monocrotaline (MCT) is a pyrrolizidine alkaloid present in plants of the genus Crotalaria that causes cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in animals and humans. It is well established that the toxicity of MCT results from its hepatic bioactivation to dehydromonocrotaline (DHM), an alkylating agent, but the exact mechanism of action remains unknown. In a previous study, we demonstrated DHM's inhibition of mitochondrial NADH-dehydrogenase activity at micromolar concentrations, which is an effect associated with a significant reduction in ATP synthesis.