para-cresol; 4-cresol; 4-methylphenol; p-cresol

Pathology

• p-cresol may accumulate in plasma of uremic patients
• increased urine p-cresol may be seen in children with autism

Physiology

• end-product of protein breakdown
• metabolite of tyrosine
• intestinal bacteria (mainly Enterobacteriaceae) convert tyrosine to 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid with susequent decarboxylation to p-cresol (putrefaction)

Laboratory

• para-cresol in air
• para-cresol in serum/plasma
• para-cresol in urine

More general terms

• cresol; methylphenol

More specific terms

• 4-cresyl acetate

Database

• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=2879