Isolation and structural studies of coprine, the disulfiram-like constituent of Coprinus atramentarius.

Coprine, the constituent of the mushroom Coprinus atramentarius Fr. responsible for its disulfiram-like activity, was isolated. Chemical and spectral data indicate that the compound is N5-(1-hydroxycyclopropyl)glutamine. Although coprine was shown to produce hyperaldehydemia in mice following ethanol ingestion, the compound was not found to be an inhibitor of mouse liver aldehyde dehydrogenase in vitro.