(RS)-(Methylenecyclopropyl)acetic acid (MCPA), an inhibitor of multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase enzymes, is derived from hypoglycin A metabolism. MCPA forms non-metabolizable carnitine and coenzyme A (CoA) esters thereby depressing tissue levels of these cofactors and making them less available for other biochemical reactions. (RS)-(Methylenecyclopropyl)acetic acid may be used as a reference material during the analysis of MCPA.
