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Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive neurological disease that currently affects about more than 10 million population worldwide. Rasagiline is a selective, irreversible monoamine oxidase type B inhibitor used as monotherapy in early Parkinson's disease. Rasagiline tablets have been recalled from market due to the presence of unacceptable levels of nitrosamine impurity. European Medical Agency has set up very stringent limit 100ng/day of N-nitrosorasagiline (NSRG) in drug product based on its mutagenicity. The analytical methods need to be sufficiently sensitive in order to adequately detect and quantify trace levels of NSRG. A highly sensitive LC-MS/MS method for determination of NSRG in rasagiline tablet formulation was developed by effectively separating on zorbax eclipse XDB C18 column using 0.1% formic acid in mixture of water and acetonitrile (35:65 v/v) in an isocratic mode at 0.5mL/min flow rate. The measurement of NSRG was performed using triple quadrupole mass detection accompanied by electrospray ionization in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. The validation of the method was comprehensive, demonstrating strong linearity across the concentration spectrum of 2 to 200ng/mL for NSRG. The obtained correlation coefficient exceeded 0.998, signifying a robust relationship. Recoveries spanning from 80.0% to 120.0% for NSRG were deemed satisfactory. The developed method was able to detect and quantitate NSRG at a concentration level of 1 to 2ng/mL respectively (1 to 2ppm with respect to 1mg/mL of rasagiline tablet sample concentration). The developed and validated method can be employed for routine quality control testing of rasagiline tablets., (Copyright © 2024 Académie Nationale de Pharmacie. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The free online trading of herbal mixtures useful for various purposes facilitates the circulation of dangerous herbs or plant parts. This is the case, for example, of the illegal trade in seeds of Peganum harmala ( Pgh ), which contain alkaloids capable of inhibiting monoamine oxidase (MAO) and are therefore used in hallucinogenic preparations, such as the psychedelic drink ayahuasca . The precise identification of these seeds and their distinction from other very similar but not dangerous seeds are necessary for forensic purposes and represents an advance in avoiding the adulteration of mixtures. In this work, we show the qualitative identification of Pgh seeds by optical and electron microscopy and the parallel development of a real-time qPCR test, which reveals, in a species-specific manner, the presence of Pgh DNA up to quantities lower than 1 pg. In addition to the species specificity and high sensitivity, the reaction accurately quantifies the presence of seeds or parts of seeds of Pgh in complex herbal mixtures, thus giving an indication of the danger or otherwise of the product.

Click chemistry has been widely used for bioorthogonal labeling of biomolecules for its high efficiency, regioselectivity and biocompatibility. In this study, dansyl azide (DNS-AZ) was introduced as a novel fluorescence labeling reagent for the determination of alkynes based on copper (I)-catalyzed azide alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) click chemistry reaction. Rasagiline mesylate (RSM) is an irreversible, selective monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitor. It is used as a model example for drugs with terminal alkyne moiety that could be monitored in biological samples with CuAAC reaction. RSM reacts with DNS-AZ in the presence of copper (II) and sodium ascorbate as catalysts to form stable 1,2,3-triazole derivative determined by HPLC with fluorescence detection. The developed methodology was optimized for sensitive and selective determination of RSM in rat plasma. Selegiline (SLG) was used as internal standard. The developed method was validated according to US-FDA guidelines in order to confirm method suitability for the intended application. The method allowed accurate and precise determination of RSM in the linearity range 0.50-100 ng mL -1 with a detection limit of 0.16 ng mL -1 for RSM in rat plasma. To confirm method applicability in real sample analysis, the developed method was employed to quantify RSM in a pharmacokinetic study in rats after administration of a single oral dose of RSM tablet., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The imitation of phase I metabolism of moclobemide and toloxatone, two monoamine oxidase type A (MAO-A) inhibitors, was performed with the use of titanium dioxide photocatalytic process. Ultra high pressure liquid chromatography system coupled with an accurate hybrid ESI-Q-TOF mass spectrometer was used for the evaluation of metabolic profiles, structural elucidation of the identified transformation products and quantitative analysis of the process. Based on high resolution MS and MS/MS data, eleven transformation products were characterized in photocatalytic experiments for moclobemide and seven products for toloxatone. A significant number of these products were found as hepatic metabolites under the incubation of the selected MAO-A inhibitors with human liver microsomes (HLM). What is important, some of these HLM metabolites are not yet described in the literature. It was also found that the multivariate chemometric analysis allowed an effortless characterization of the registered metabolic profiles which can be a useful method for a fast preliminary drug metabolism study. Additionally, principal component analysis (PCA) of the registered TOF (MS) photocatalytic and HLM profiles of moclobemide and toloxatone shows that shorter irradiation time is preferred for photocatalytic metabolism experiments. A heterogeneous photocatalysis with the use of titanium dioxide was found to be a powerful tool for mimicking phase I metabolic reactions, as a fast, sensitive and inexpensive method., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A novel human monoamine oxidase B (hMAO B) based biosensor for inhibitory measurements was developed. It allows both the characterisation of the type of enzyme inhibition and the sensitive and simple determination of inhibitors like selegiline hydrochloride. The sensor consists of a screen printed carbon working electrode modified with 20% manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ) and the enzyme hMAO B, which was immobilised on the electrode via a dialysis membrane (regenerated cellulose, molecular weight cut-off 14000). Inhibition of hMAO B is evaluated by adding different concentrations of the inhibitor selegiline hydrochloride to the enzyme and applying a defined amount of the hMAO B substrate phenylethylamine (PEA). The enzymatically formed H 2 O 2 is amperometrically detected at 0.4V vs. Ag/AgCl in a flow injection analysis (FIA) system. With 100µM PEA the sensor showed a linear correlation between peak height and inhibitor concentration in a range of 0.51-3.25µg/mL selegiline hydrochloride. LOD and LOQ were determined to be 0.15 and 0.51µg/mL, respectively. The sensor showed a repeatability of 3.7% and an intermediate precision of 8.1%. The inhibition-based biosensor was successfully employed to quantify selegiline hydrochloride in pharmaceutical samples. Kinetic studies via Lineweaver-Burk plot and enzyme quantity vs. current plot revealed that the inhibition is irreversible., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The β-carboline alkaloids of the harmala (HAlks) group are compounds widely spread in many natural sources, but found at relatively high levels in some specific plants like Peganum harmala (Syrian rue) or Banisteriopsis caapi. HAlks are a reversible Mono Amino Oxidase type A Inhibitor (MAOI) and, as a consequence, these plants or their extracts can be used to produce psychotropic effects when are combined with psychotropic drugs based on amino groups. Since the occurrence and the levels of the HAlks in natural sources are subject to significant variability, more widespread use is not clinical but recreational or ritual, for example B. caapi is a known part of the Ayahuasca ritual mixture. The lack of simple methods to control the variable levels of these compounds in natural sources restricts the possibilities to dose in strict quantities and, as a consequence, limits its use with pharmacological or clinical purposes. In this work, we present a fast, simple, and robust method of quantifying simultaneously the six HAlks more frequently found in plants, i.e., harmine, harmaline, harmol, harmalol, harmane, and norharmane, by capillary electrophoresis instruments equipped with the more common detector UV. The method is applied to analyze these HAlks in P. Harmala seeds infusion which is a frequent intake form for these HAlks. The method is validated in three different instruments in order to evaluate the transferability and to compare the performances between them. In this case, harmaline, harmine, and harmol were found in the infusion samples. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., (Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) were the first type of antidepressant developed. MAOIs elevate the levels of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine by inhibiting an enzyme called monoamine oxidase. They are also used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, tuberculosis, and several other disorders. Therefore, it is very important to develop efficient analytical methods for monitoring and management. There are two isoforms of monoamine oxidase, MAO-A and MAO-B. In this article, analyses of MAOIs in pharmaceutical formulations and biological fluids were reviewed from 2000 to the present, including all types of chromatographic, spectrophotometric, electrophoretic, and voltammetric techniques, focusing on isoniazid, tranylcypromine, moclobemide, rasagiline, and selegiline.

Objectives: The hexane (HEX) and dichloromethane (DCM) fractions from Blechnum binervatum, Blechnum brasiliense and Blechnum occidentale were studied about phytochemicals and biological properties using multitarget approach., Methods: The chemical composition was performed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry detector (GC-MS) analysis. Antioxidant capacity was evaluated against free radicals and on lipid peroxidation. Monoamine oxidases (MAO) and cholinesterases enzymatic modulation, as well as effects on rat and human cells, were assessed., Key Findings: The CG-MS analysis allowed the identification of a non-polar compound series, being neophytadiene the major constituent in all DCM fractions and in HEX fractions from B. binervatum and B. occidentale. In B. brasiliense HEX fraction, β-sitosterol was the main compound. In general, B. brasiliense DCM fraction presented the highest antioxidant activity, with IC 50 values around 9, 2 and 1.2 times lower than those found for the other species, against HO˙, NO˙ and on lipid peroxidation, respectively. Regarding enzyme modulations, B. brasiliense DCM fraction presented higher MAO-A inhibition (IC 50 : 31.83 μg/ml), with a better selectivity index (SI MAO-A/MAO-B: 6.77). The lack of harmful effects was observed in rat cells, also highlighted in the stem cells for all Blechnum samples., Conclusion: These findings encourage the search for multibinding natural products, mainly from B. brasiliense DCM fraction., (© 2016 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.)

Psychotria nemorosa is chemically characterized by indole alkaloids and displays significant inhibitory activity on butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A), both enzymes related to neurodegenerative disorders. In the present study, 43 samples of P. nemorosa leaves were extracted and fractionated in accordance to previously optimized methods (see Part I). These fractions were analyzed by means of UPLC-DAD and assayed for their BChE and MAO-A inhibitory potencies. The chromatographic fingerprint data was first aligned using correlation optimized warping and Principal Component Analysis to explore the data structure was performed. Multivariate calibration techniques, namely Partial Least Squares (PLS1), PLS2 and Orthogonal Projections to Latent Structure (O-PLS1), were evaluated for modelling the activities as a function of the fingerprints. Since the best results were obtained with O-PLS1 model (RMSECV=9.3 and 3.3 for BChE and MAO-A, respectively), the regression coefficients of the model were analyzed and plotted relative to the original fingerprints. Four peaks were indicated as multifunctional compounds, with the capacity to impair both BChE and MAO-A activities. In order to confirm these results, a semi-prep HPLC technique was used and a fraction containing the four peaks was purified and evaluated in vitro. It was observed that the fraction exhibited an IC50 of 2.12μgmL(-1) for BChE and 1.07μgmL(-1) for MAO-A. These results reinforce the prediction obtained by O-PLS1 modelling., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A sensitive UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method was developed for determining and screening of inhibitors of monoamine oxidase (MAO) by using mix MAO enzymes prepared from human liver. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 2-phenethylamine (2-PEA) were used as substrates for MAO-A and MAO-B in incubations, and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA) and phenylacetic acid (PAA) resulting from 5-HT and 2-PEA were used as markers to evaluate inhibitive activities of test compounds on MAO-A and MAO-B. Proper separation was achieved for positive multiple reaction monitoring of 5-HIAA (m/z 192.1→146.1) and negative multiple reaction monitoring PAA (m/z 135.0→91.0) via isocratic elution (0.1% fromic acid:acetonitrile=60:40) on a HSS T3 column following a simple precipitation of proteins for sample treatment. The relative standard deviations of intra- and inter-day precisions were ranged from 1.74% to 6.76% and 0.77% to 9.35%. The mean accuracies for the quality control samples were 101.37±6.60% and 101.39±2.85%, respectively. This method exhibited characteristics of small total reaction volume (100μl), short analysis time (3.5min), highly sensitivity, low cost and without matrix effect (103.56±2.33% to 112.63±8.57% for 5-HIAA and 105.68±8.75% to 112.76±4.67% for PAA). The developed method was successfully applied for detection of the MAO-A and MAO-B inhibitive activities by model drugs, including pargyline, clorgyline, as well as β-carboline alkaloids from Peganum harmala., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Pomegranate juice and related products have long been used either in traditional medicine or as nutritional supplements claiming beneficial effects. Although there are several studies on this food plant, only a few studies have been performed with pomegranate juice or marketed products. The aim of this work is to evaluate the antioxidant effects of pomegranate juice on cellular models using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizing agent or DPPH and superoxide radicals in cell free systems. The antiproliferative effects of the juice were measured on HeLa and PC-3 cells by the MTT assay and pharmacologically relevant enzymes (cyclooxygenases, xanthine oxidase, acetylcholinesterase and monoamine oxidase A) were selected for enzymatic inhibition assays. Pomegranate juice showed significant protective effects against hydrogen peroxide induced toxicity in the Artemia salina and HepG2 models; these effects may be attributed to radical scavenging properties of pomegranate as the juice was able to reduce DPPH and superoxide radicals. Moderate antiproliferative activities in HeLa and PC-3 cancer cells were observed. However, pomegranate juice was also able to inhibit COX-2 and MAO-A enzymes. This study reveals some mechanisms by which pomegranate juice may have interesting and beneficial effects in human health.

β-Carbolines are inhibitors of monoamine oxidases (MAO-A and MAO-B) and can be found in foods, hallucinogenic plant or various drugs. We have developed a fast analysis method for β-carbolines based on the inhibition of MAO. The enzymes were immobilized on screen-printed electrodes modified with a stabilized film of Prussian blue that contain also copper. We have used benzylamine as substrate for the enzymatic reaction and the hydrogen peroxide was measured amperometrically at -50 mV. The detection limits obtained were 5.0 µM for harmane and 2.5 µM for both harmaline and norharmane. The MAO-A is inhibited by all three tested β-carbolines (harmane, norharmane, and harmaline) while MAO-B is inhibited only by norharmane. The presence of norharmane in mixtures of β-carbolines can be identified based on the difference between the cumulative inhibition of MAO-A by all β-carbolines and MAO-B inhibition. The developed biosensors were used for food analysis., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

An automated sequential injection (SI) spectrophotometric system has been developed for evaluation of tyramine oxidase (TOD) inhibitory activity. The method is based on the inhibition of TOD that catalyzes the oxidation of tyramine substrate to produce aldehyde and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The produced H₂O₂ reacts with vanillic acid and 4-aminoantipyrine (4-AA) in the presence of peroxidase (POD) to form a quinoneimine dye, the absorbance of which is measured of absorbance at wavelength of 490 nm. The decrease of the quinoneimine dye is related to an increase of TOD inhibitory activity. Under the optimum conditions: 1.0 mM tyramine, 8 U mL(-1) TOD, 1.0 mM vanillic acid, 1.0 mM 4-AA and delay time of 10 s, some flavonoid compounds were examined for the TOD inhibitory activity expressed as IC₅₀ value. It was found that flavonols (quercetin and myricetin) and flavans (epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin (EGC)) showed higher TOD inhibitory activity than flavones and flavanones. The results of IC₅₀ values obtained from the proposed method and a batch-wise method were not significantly different from each other. Moreover, the SI system enabled automation of the analysis, leading to more convenient, more sensitive and faster analysis than the batch-wise method. A precise timing of the system also improves precision and accuracy of the assay, especially when the measurement of absorbance at non-steady state condition is involved., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The dried flower buds of Jasminum grandiflorum L. are widely consumed as infusion and used in traditional medicine for psychiatric disorders. It is important to have a well-established method for the chemical characterization of J. grandiflorum since there are resemblances with a toxic species, Gelsemium sempervirens (L.) Jaume Saint-Hilaire. HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS(n) analysis allowed identifying six phenolic compounds for the first time. Moreover, the evaluation of in vitro activity against central nervous system (CNS) related enzymes was undertaken for the first time, as well as against reactive species in order to support the efficacy towards CNS disorders., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

It is well known that the isolation of monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors from natural sources is an important strategy for drug development in the treatment of depression, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. The present work describes developing a thin-layer chromatography (TLC) bioautographic method for detecting MAO inhibitors from plant extracts. The basic principle of the method is that the enzyme oxidises tryptamine into an aldehyde which in turn reacts with 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide to form a blue formazan which makes a blue-coloured background on the TLC plates. Inhibitors of MAO produced white spots on the background. The new TLC bioautographic method has several advantages such as lower consumption of the enzyme, shorter experimental time, more easily observed background of TLC plate and better reproducibility. The detection limits were 10 ng for several known MAO inhibitors.

Introduction: Depression is a mental disease causing large personal and socio-economic problems, and new improved drugs are therefore needed. Selective monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibitors are potential anti-depressants, but discovering new MAO-A inhibitors from natural sources by bioassay-guided approaches are a lengthy and time-consuming process. New analytical technologies that allow simultaneously chemical and biological screening of extracts are therefore urgently needed., Method: In the present study we describe coupling of a photometric microplate-based high-resolution MAO-A inhibitor assay with a hyphenated system consisting of high-performance liquid chromatography, solid-phase extraction and tube transfer nuclear magnetic resonance (HPLC-SPE-ttNMR). The standard compound clorgyline, and an extract of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.), representing a complex plant matrix, were used for proof-of-concept., Results: The work with clorgyline showed that the microplate-based high-resolution assay produced MAO-A inhibition profiles that easily allowed detection of submicrogram amounts of this selective MAO-A inhibitor. Furthermore, the HPLC-SPE-ttNMR/high-resolution MAO-A inhibition assay platform allowed identification of piperine and two piperine analogues as the main MAO-A inhibitors in the black pepper petroleum ether extract., Conclusion: The HPLC-SPE-ttNMR/high-resolution MAO-A inhibition assay platform is a powerful tool for fast and efficient identification of new MAO-A inhibitors from complex extracts, and promise future advancement in the search for new anti-depressants from natural sources., (Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

A method for screening of monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor was carried out using capillary electrophoresis (CE) based on the interaction of MAO and its substrate kynuramine (Kyn). Bioactive proteoliposome was reconstituted by liposome and MAO and then was applied as the pseudostationary phase (PSP) of CE to mimic the interaction between the enzyme and its substrate. N-prolmrgyl-R-2-heptylamine (R-2-HPA) and rasagiline [N-propargyl-1-(R)-aminoindan], which are two kinds of MAO inhibitors, were added into the running buffers containing proteoliposome. The results showed that the relative migration time ratio (RMTR × 10(-1)) values of Kyn were enhanced from 8.88 to 9.31 with an increase of the concentrations of rasagiline from 10(-6) to 1 mM. However, the RMTR values of Kyn were enhanced from 8.83 to 9.14 with an increase of the concentrations of R-2-HPA from 10(-6) to 1 mM. The RMTR value of Kyn in the presence of rasagiline was larger than that in the presence of R-2-HPA when rasagiline and R-2-HPA were at the same concentration. The results indicated that the interaction between Kyn and MAO was weakened with the increase of the inhibitors. In addition, the results of offline incubation showed that the inhibitions of rasagiline were 100.0, 72.1, 51.8 and 5.4% at the concentration of 1, 10(-2), 10(-4) and 10(-6) mM; moreover, the inhibitions of R-2-HPA were 70.0, 44.9, 4.1 and 0.9% at the concentrations of 1, 10(-2), 10(-4) and 10(-6) mM. The inhibition efficiency of rasagiline was stronger than that of R-2-HPA at the same concentration. Additionally, the interaction between Kyn and liposome was also investigated. This newly developed method might provide a potential tool for screening MAO inhibitor.

Literature reports that isatin as well as C5- and C6-substituted isatin analogues are reversible inhibitors of human monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B. In general, C5- and C6-substitution of isatin leads to enhanced binding affinity to both MAO isozymes compared to isatin and in most instances result in selective binding to the MAO-B isoform. Crystallographic and modeling studies suggest that the isatin ring binds to the substrate cavities of MAO-A and -B and is stabilized by hydrogen bond interactions between the NH and the C2 carbonyl oxygen of the dioxoindolyl moiety and water molecules present in the substrate cavities of MAO-A and -B. Based on these observations and the close structural resemblances between isatin and its phthalimide isomer, a series of phthalimide analogues were synthesized and evaluated as MAO inhibitors. While phthalimide and N-aryl-substituted phthalimides were found to be weak MAO inhibitors, phthalimide homologues containing C5 substituents were potent reversible inhibitors of recombinant human MAO-B with IC(50) values ranging from 0.007 to 2.5 μM and moderately potent reversible inhibitors of recombinant human MAO-A with IC(50) values ranging from 0.22 to 9.0 μM. By employing molecular docking the importance of hydrogen bonding between the active sites of MAO-A and -B and the phthalimide inhibitors are highlighted., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A enantioselective reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the enantiomeric resolution of safinamide mesilate, 2(S)-[4-(3-fluorobenzyloxy)benzylamino] propionamide methanesulfonate, a neuroprotectant with antiparkinsonian and anticonvulsant activity for the treatment of Parkinson disease. The enantiomers of safinamide mesilate were baseline resolved on a Chiralcel OD-RH (150mm×4.6mm, 5μm) column using a mobile phase system containing 300mM sodium di-hydrogen phosphate buffer (pH 3.0):methanol:acetonitrile (65:25:10, v/v/v). The resolution between the enantiomers was not less than 3.0. The pH value of buffer solution in the mobile phase has played a key role in enhancing chromatographic efficiency and resolution between the enantiomers. The developed method was validated and proved to be robust. The limit of detection and limit of quantification of (R)-enantiomer were found to be 15 and 50ng/mL, respectively, for 20μL injection volume. The percentage recovery of (R)-enantiomer was ranged from 94.2 to 103.7 in bulk drug samples of safinamide mesilate. The sample solution and mobile phase were found to be stable at least for 48h. The final optimized method was successfully applied to separate (R)-enantiomer from safinamide mesilate and was proven to be reproducible and accurate for the quantitative determination of (R)-enantiomer in bulk drugs., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In the present study, a reverse phase high performance liquid chromatographic method was developed and validated for the determination of rasagiline mesylate in biodegradable microspheres. Chromatographic separation was carried out on a RP-18 column using a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile:water (5:95, v/v) adjusted at pH 3.1. Flow rate was 1.0 ml min(-1) and UV detection at 290 nm. Acyclovir was used as the internal standard. The calibration curve was linear over the range 0.5-20.0 microg ml(-1). R.S.D. for precision was <1.8%. Accuracy ranged between 99.01% and 102.55% with a R.S.D. lower than 1.3%. LOD and LOQ were 0.07 microg ml(-1) and 0.23 microg ml(-1), respectively. The method was simple, rapid, and easy to apply, making it very suitable for routine analysis of rasagiline mesylate in biodegradable PLGA microspheres. It could be also used with reliability for the determination of the drug in other pharmaceutical dosage forms.

To our knowledge, the majority of evidence supporting the relationship between the serotonin syndrome and medications that effect 5HT is based on case reports. The justification for taking up this subject has been a fatal outcome of a 21 year-old female following an administration of toxic doses of moclobemide (MAOI) and venlafaxine (SNRI). As a result of complex toxicological investigations including antemortem and postmortem material, antemortem clinical observations and postmortem examinations, the cause of death was identified as overdose with antidepressants--moclobemide and venlafaxine--in the mechanism of the clinically fully developed severe toxic serotonin syndrome. The analysis of a hair strand collected from the victim documented the use of the above-mentioned drugs simultaneously with cocaine in the period of at least 20 months preceding death. The fact is a matter of considerable interest in view of the employed pharmacotherapy, giving rise to suspicion that the woman had not developed the serotonin syndrome during the almost 2-year antemortem period until she took toxic doses of both medications.

The constituents of seven mushrooms sold as Amanita muscaria or Amanita pantherina (five A. muscaria and two A. pantherina) and four "extracts purported to contain A. muscaria" products that are currently circulated in Japan were determined. All mushroom samples were identified as A. muscaria or A. pantherina by macroscopic and microscopic observation. The dissociative constituents, ibotenic acid (IBO) and muscimol (MUS), were extracted with 70% methanol twice and determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The IBO (as the hydrate)/MUS contents were in the range of <10-2845ppm/46-1052ppm in the cap of A. muscaria and 188-269ppm/1554-1880ppm in the cap of A. pantherina. In the caps, these compounds had a tendency to be more concentrated in the flesh than in the cuticle. On the other hand, the IBO/MUS contents in the stem were far lower than in the caps. In the "extracts purported to contain A. muscaria" products, IBO/MUS were detected below the lower limit of calibration curve (<10ppm/<25ppm) or not detected. However, these samples contained other psychoactive compounds, such as psychoactive tryptamines (5-methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine and 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine), reversible monoamine oxidase inhibitors (harmine and harmaline) and tropane alkaloids (atropine and scopolamine), which were not quantified. This is the first report of the chemical analysis of Amanita mushrooms that are circulated in the drug market.

Interest in inhibitors of monoamine oxidase type B (MAO B) has grown in recent years, due to their therapeutic potential in aging-related neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. This study is devoted to the use of human recombinant MAO B obtained from a Baculovirus expression system (Supersomes MAO B, BD Gentest, MA, USA) as reliable and efficient enzyme source for MAO B inhibitor screening. Comparison of inhibition potencies (pIC50 values) determined with human cloned and human platelet MAO B for the two series of MAO B inhibitors, coumarin and 5H-indeno[1,2-c]pyridazin-5-one derivatives, showed that the difference between pIC50 values obtained with the two enzyme sources was not significant (P>0.05, Student's t-test). Hence, recombinant enzyme is validated as convenient enzyme source for MAO B inhibitor screening.

We synthesized several prodrugs of glycine and gamma-aminobutyric acid. In order to establish a screening system from the prodrugs of selective activity to MAO-A or MAO-B, we examined purification conditions such as solubilization with Triton X-100, precipitation with ammonium sulfate, gel filtration and anion exchange chromatography. MAO-B was purified from various tissues such as guinea pig brain, kidney and spleen. MAO-A from human placenta without MAO-B was unstable in above purifications and used as crude. At each purification step, we checked sensitivity of the enzyme to specific inhibitors by developing a convenient fluorescence assay, in which hydrogen peroxide produced by the enzyme was reacted with p-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid. A fluorescence microplate reader measured a fluorescence of the fluorescent product from p-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid with horseradish peroxidase. In comparison with milacemide, N,N-bis(carbamoylmethyl)-N-pentylamine was the best and exclusive substrate for MAO-B. 2-N-(phenylethylamino)-acetoamide was the good substrate for MAO-A and MAO-B same as milacemide. 4-N-(n-pentylamino)-butyric acid and 4-(N-phenylethylamino)-butyric acid were the moderate substrates for both enzymes, which should release gamma-aminobutyric acid. These drugs will be new leading compounds.

As everybody knows, human saliva contains a huge variety of different proteins. The protein composition of the mixed saliva was found to depend to a certain extent on a psycho-emotional condition. The main elements of mechanisms of the psychophysiologic regulation of the protein composition of the mixed saliva are under discussion in the paper. A hypothesis is put forward, which envisages a possible different-type joint activity of the vegetative nervous centers controlling the saliva glands as triggered by emotions. Besides, issues related with the fundamental research as well as outlooks for using the analysis of the protein composition of the mixed saliva for the purpose of investigating the human psychophysiology and of coping with practical medical tasks are also under discussion.

Binary quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) is an approach for the analysis of high throughput screening (HTS) data by correlating structural properties of compounds with a "binary" expression of biological activity (1 = active and 0 = inactive) and calculating a probability distribution for active and inactive compounds in a training set. Successfully deriving a predictive binary or any QSAR model largely depends on the selection of a preferred set of molecular descriptors that can capture the chemico-biological interaction for a particular biological target. In this study, a genetic algorithm (GA) was applied as a variable selection method in binary QSAR analysis. This GA-based variable selection method was applied to the analysis of three diverse sets of compounds, estrogen receptor (ER) ligands, carbonic anhydrase II inhibitors, and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. Out of a variable pool of 150 molecular descriptors, predictive binary QSAR models were obtained for all three sets of compounds within a reasonable number of GA generations. The results indicate that the GA is a very effective variable selection approach for binary QSAR analysis.

We have previously shown that melanin in human hair has a great impact on the incorporation of codeine into hair. The present study on 10 subjects was performed to investigate whether or not these findings could also be extrapolated to other therapeutic drugs. We chose selegiline because it metabolizes to two commonly abused central stimulants, methamphetamine and amphetamine. The results would therefore also be of interest when studying the intake of such drugs and their incorporation into human hair. Selegiline and metabolites were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, total melanin by spectrophotometry, and pyrrole-tricarboxylic acid by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Our results show strong positive exponential relationships (y = e(x)) between melanin and the metabolites, which for methamphetamine improved by normalizing for plasma area under the curve. We conclude that the major metabolites of selegiline can be detected in hair up to four weeks after a single oral dose and that the incorporation closely relates to the melanin contents.

The effects of Ginkgo biloba leaf extract on rat brain or livermonoamine oxidase (MAO)-A and -B activity, biogenic amine concentration in nervous tissue, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)- and N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine (DSP-4)-induced neurotoxicity and antioxidant activity was investigated to determine the effects of the extract on monoamine catabolism and neuroprotection. Ginkgo biloba leaf extract was shown to produce in-vitro inhibition of rat brain MAO-A and -B. The Ginkgo biloba extract was chromatographed on a reverse-phase HPLC system and two of the components isolated were shown to be MAO inhibitors (MAOIs). These MAOIs were identified by high-resolution mass spectrometry as kaempferol and isorhamnetin. Pure kaempferol and a number of related flavonoids were examined as MAOIs in-vitro. Kaempferol, apigenin and chrysin proved to be potent MAOIs, but produced more pronounced inhibition of MAO-A than MAO-B. IC50 (50% inhibition concentration) values for the ability of these three flavones to inhibit MAO-A were 7 x 10(-7), 1 x 10(-6) and 2 x 10(-6) M, respectively. Ginkgo biloba leaf extract and kaempferol were found to have no effect ex-vivo on rat or mouse brain MAO or on concentrations of dopamine, noradrenaline, 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. Kaempferol was shown to protect against NMDA-induced neuronal toxicity in-vitro in rat cortical cultures, but did not prevent DSP-4-induced noradrenergic neurotoxicity in an in-vivo model. Both Ginkgo biloba extract and kaempferol were demonstrated to be antioxidants in a lipid-peroxidation assay. This data indicates that the MAO-inhibiting activity of Ginkgo biloba extract is primarily due to the presence of kaempferol. Ginkgo biloba extract has properties indicative of potential neuroprotective ability.

Soy-based infant formulas have been in use for >30 y. These formulas are manufactured from soy protein isolates and contain significant amounts of phytoestrogens of the isoflavone class. As determined by HPLC, the isoflavone compositions of commercially available formulas are similar qualitatively and quantitatively and are consistent with the isoflavone composition of soy protein isolates. Genistein, found predominantly in the form of glycosidic conjugates, accounts for >65% of the isoflavones in soy-based formulas. Total isoflavone concentrations of soy-based formulas prepared for infant feeding range from 32 to 47 mg/L, whereas isoflavone concentrations in human breast milk are only 5.6 +/- 4.4 microg/L (mean +/- SD, n = 9). Infants fed soy-based formulas are therefore exposed to 22-45 mg isoflavones/d (6-11 mg x kg body wt(-1) x d(-1)), whereas the intake of these phytoestrogens from human milk is negligible (<0.01 mg/d). The metabolic fate of isoflavones from soy-based infant formula is described. Plasma isoflavone concentrations reported previously for 4-mo-old infants fed soy-based formula were 654-1775 microg/L (mean: 979.7 microg/L: Lancet 1997:350;23-7), significantly higher than plasma concentrations of infants fed either cow-milk formula (mean +/- SD: 9.4 +/- 1.2 microg/L) or human breast milk (4.7 +/- 1.3 microg/L). The high steady state plasma concentration of isoflavones in infants fed soy-based formula is explained by reduced intestinal biotransformation, as evidenced by low or undetectable concentrations of equol and other metabolites, and is maintained by constant daily exposure from frequent feeding. Isoflavones circulate at concentrations that are 13,000-22,000-fold higher than plasma estradiol concentrations in early life. Exposure to these phytoestrogens early in life may have long-term health benefits for hormone-dependent diseases.

1. We have previously identified isatin as one of the endogenous monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors in the urine and the brain of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP), using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). 2. In this study, we attempted to develop a convenient assay to determine isatin using high performance liquid chromatography with an ultraviolet detector (HPLC-UV). The standard curve for authentic isatin was linear at a range from 2 to 20 nmol per ml. The coefficient of variance was within 3% for both intra-assay and inter-assay. The sensitivity was 20 pmol per 10 microl of urine sample. 3. Isatin concentration correlated significantly and positively with endogenous MAO activity (tribulin-like activity) in both urine (r=0.924, P<0.001) and kidney extracts (r=0.862, P<0.01). There was a significant difference in urinary isatin between Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) and SHRSP. Oral administration of isatin increased urinary isatin concentration and systolic blood pressure in WKY. 4. Determination of isatin using HPLC-UV may be useful for elucidating role of isatin in various conditions of stress and disease.

Salivary monoamine oxidase A inhibitory activity (MAO-AI), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were determined simultaneously in healthy male students (n = 13) at rest, before a mild psychological stressor, twice during the task and 18 minutes after the end of the task. The sample as a whole showed significant differences in MAP and HR across occasions (respectively, p < 0.001 for both). Salivary MAO-AI could distinguish novice and experienced game players (p < 0.02) and was consistently positively correlated with MAP (r = 0.58, p < 0.05 on occasion 2). Pre-task measures of MAO-AI for an increased sample (n = 18) were associated with higher MAP (but not HR) throughout the experiment (p < 0.05). Those subject with falling MAO-AI profiles from task to recovery showed significantly greater simultaneous decline in HR than those with a rising MAO-AI profile (p < 0.05).

Recent research on tribulin [low molecular weight endogenous inhibitory activity of monoamine oxidase (MAO)] has confirmed that its level is increased in both human urine and rat tissues by stress or anxiety, and by anxiogenic drugs. However tribulin is now known to contain several different molecules. The raised inhibitory activity in rat tissues is selective for MAO-A. There is a parallel decrease in MAO-A activity ex vivo, suggesting a possible functional effect. Increase in endogenous MAO I may competitively inhibit the binding of irreversible MAO I drugs, and may also help to mediate some mood altering effects of other drugs, or procedures such as ECT. In human urine both MAO-A I and MAO-B I have been found to be increased in mild stress. Similar findings have been made with human saliva. Selective inhibitors of MAO-A have been identified from human urine, and pig brain, but it is not yet clear to what extent they account for the MAO-A I activity increased in stress. Isatin is an endogenous selective inhibitor of MAO-B (K1 approximately 3 microM). It has a distinct distribution in rat brain, with highest concentration in the hippocampus of 0.1 microgram/g. Its level is increased by pentylene tetrazole, and isatin is itself anxiogenic in rodent models. Its administration also increases monoamine levels in the brain. It is a potent antagonist of the ANP receptor, and it may act to link the control of monoamine function and natriuresis.

We have described a rapid and simple solid-phase extraction on C18 cartridges of moclobemide suitable for the analysis of post-mortem whole blood and urine. The methods used for identification were GC-MS and HPLC-PDA. Quantification was performed by the HPLC-PDA technique with detection at 238 nm. The limit of detection was 0.012 microgram/ml in blood. A between-day precision study gave relative standard deviations which were always less than 4.7% over the entire range of calibration (0.2 to 20.0 micrograms/ml). The method was applied in a case of moclobemide overdose due to a deliberate ingestion of 4.5 g of the drug. A second case concerned a polyintoxication including moclobemide as one of the main toxins. The post-mortem whole blood concentrations were 15.5 and 13.8 micrograms/ml respectively. Determination of the drug in other biological specimens is also reported.

A method for determining MAO-inhibitory activity of pharmacological compounds is described (for primary screening). The advantages of this method are as follows: quick analysis, small amount of reagents, visual estimation of the results of screening.

The retention of 17 propargylamine derivatives was determined on a beta-cyclodextrin polymer (beta-CDP)-coated silica column using tetrahydrofuran-0.05 M K2HPO4 (6:4, v/v) as eluent. The inclusion complex formation between the propargylamine derivatives and a water-soluble beta-CDP was studied by charge-transfer chromatography carried out on reversed-phase TLC layers. The capacity factors were correlated with the various measured and calculated physicochemical parameters of the solutes using principal component analysis followed by non-linear mapping, varimax rotation and cluster analysis. Calculations proved that the hydrophobicity and steric parameters have the highest influence on the retention of propargylamine derivatives. It has been established that each statistical method can be used for the evaluation of similar retention data matrices, however, the results can be slightly different according to the method applied.

Using the copper assisted halogen exchange the MAO-B inhibitor Ro 43-0463, N-(2-aminoethyl)-5-iodo-2-pyridinecarboxamide, was labelled with 123I as well as with 125I to allow in vitro and in vivo investigations including SPET with healthy volunteers. Ro 43-0463 is known to inhibit reversibly and specifically MAO-B, having an IC50 of 3 x 10(-8) Mol/L. The labeling in the presence of CuSO4 and ascorbic acid was optimised, varying time (30 to 105 min), precursor concentration (1-3.5 mg) and temperature (130-200 degrees C). The labeling yield ranged between 60 and 70%. Purification was achieved with Lichrosorb RP-18 (5 micron, 250 x 8 mm) and 1.5 mL/min 0.36 M H3PO4/EtOH 97/3 [0.01 M (NH4)2HPO4]. After neutralisation and sterile filtration the final activity concentration ranged between 18.5 and 37 MBq/mL. Biodistribution studies showed a brain to blood ratio greater than 1 within 1 h p.i. The main radiation burden calculated from these animal data is to alimentary and excretory organs and the ovaries. Autoradiography was performed using rat brain slices and 5 nM [125I]Ro 43-0463 in TRIS-buffer pH 7.4 for 90 min at 20 degrees C. Its radioactivity pattern corresponds to the known distribution of MAO-B in the rat brain. By displacement with L-deprneyl the highly specific binding of R0 43-0463 was proven in vitro. SPECT studies with normal volunteers corresponded with the pattern found in autoradiography.

(E)-beta-Fluoromethylene-m-tyrosine (FMMT, MDL 72394) represents a prodrug approach to site-selective, irreversible inhibition of monoamine oxidase. A sensitive and specific method for the quantification of FMMT and its active metabolite (MDL 72392) in human plasma and urine has been developed for future pharmacokinetic studies. The procedure consists of a liquid-liquid extraction of plasma and urine samples, esterification with HCl/butanol and, subsequently, N-acylation with pentafluoropropionic anhydride. This is followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry employing negative ion chemical ionization. The precision and the accuracy of the method have been optimized by using two internal standards: MDL 72661 (a methyl homologue of FMMT) for the quantification of FMMT, and MDL 72761 (a methyl homologue of MDL 72392) for the quantification of MDL 72392. The method has been validated for FMMT and MDL 72392 over the concentration range 2.5-400 pmol ml-1 with a limit of quantification for both compounds of 2.5 pmol ml-1. Sample clean-up and selected ion monitoring by mass spectrometry ensured the specificity and sensitivity required for the pharmacokinetic evaluation of FMMT and MDL 72392.

The interaction of 17 monoamine oxidase inhibitory drugs (propargylamine derivatives) with amino acids was studied by charge-transfer chromatography. The data set was evaluated by principal component analysis (PCA). To assess the effect of the information loss caused by normalization, PCA was separately carried out on the covariance and on the correlation matrix. The strength and selectivity of interaction was separated by the spectral mapping technique. Calculation proved that the amino group of the drugs interacted with the second carboxyl group of dicarboxylic amino acids, and that the interaction was of electrostatic character. This finding made probable the direct interaction between the drugs and the target enzyme or enzymes. The results of both PCA methods were similar. However, coordinates of the spectral map showed only slight correlation with the corresponding coordinates of the two-dimensional nonlinear maps proving the different information content of the methods.

The lipophilicity (RM value) of seventeen monoamine oxidase inhibitory drugs was determined by reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography, and the effect of salt concentration on the reversed-phase retention was studied by adding ammonium chloride to the eluent. Each drug exhibited regular retention behaviour, its RM value linearly decreasing with increasing concentration of methanol in the eluent. Ammonium chloride decreased the retention: the effect was higher at lower salt concentrations, which indicates that the phenomenon is of saturation character. The influence of ammonium chloride depended on the concentration of methanol (on the dielectric constant of the eluent) suggesting that methanol suppresses the dissociation of ammonium chloride resulting in a modified salting-in effect.

The biotransformation of furazolidone, both in vivo and in vitro, results in the formation of so-called bound metabolites. Following the incubation of pig hepatocytes with [14C]furazolidone, a dose- and time-related increase in the formation of bound metabolites was observed. After withdrawal of the drug from the medium, levels decreased gradually to about 50% within 36 hr. Using a newly developed method, it was shown that in the case of cells and liver microsomes at least 70% of the bound residues still contained the 3-amino-2-oxazolidinone (AOZ) side chain of furazolidone. For liver samples of piglets that had been treated orally with the drug for 10 days, followed by withdrawal periods of 2 hr or 14 days, fractions of releasable AOZ were 23 and 14%, respectively, equivalent to levels of 3.8 and 0.3 micrograms furazolidone/g of tissue, respectively. The release of the AOZ side chain of furazolidone from at least part of the bound metabolites shows their drug-related nature and highlights the requirement for both adequate withdrawal periods and the need for appropriate control methods. The relative simplicity of the newly developed method may be helpful in further establishing and controlling adequate withdrawal periods.

Two new phenolic compounds, glicoricone (3) and licofuranone (4), were isolated from a species of licorice brought from the northwestern region of China, and their structures were assigned. Among the twelve licorice constituents examined for the inhibition of monoamine oxidase (MAO), six compounds, 3, 4, genistein (6), licopyranocoumarin (7), licocoumarone (14) and glycyrrhisoflavone (15), inhibited the enzyme with the IC50 (concentration required for 50% inhibition of the enzyme activity) values of 6.0 x 10(-5)-1.4 x 10(-4) M. Glycyrrhizin (1) also inhibited MAO with the IC50 value of 1.6 x 10(-4) M.

Two simple and sensitive spectrophotometric methods are described for the assay of three MAO inhibitors: isocarboxazid, tranylcypromine sulphate and iproniazid phosphate. The first method is based on the formation of a highly coloured stable radical anion between the drug as an n-donor and 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) as a pi-electron acceptor. Beer's law is obeyed in the concentration range 0.2-3, 0.2-4 and 0.5-4 micrograms ml-1 for isocarboxazid, tranylcypromine sulphate and iproniazid phosphate, respectively. The second method involves the use of iodine monochloride (ICl) as an sigma-acceptor. It was found that ICl reacts quantitatively only with isocarboxazid and tranylcypromine sulphate; with iproniazid phosphate results were very poor. Beer's law is obeyed in the concentration range 2-20 micrograms ml-1 for both drugs. The optimum experimental parameters for colour production in each case were determined. The percentage recoveries obtained were in accordance with those obtained by the official methods. The proposed methods are characterized by high sensitivity.

The endogenous monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor (tribulin) activity of rat brain was investigated during the course of carrageenan induced acute paw inflammation. The increase in rat brain tribulin activity closely paralleled the time course intensity of the inflammation. The study indicates that, like externally induced stress, internal stress caused by the inflammation induced hyperalgesia can also induce augmented brain tribulin activity. The findings, thus, support the hypothesis that tribulin may function as an endogenous endocoid marker of stress.

A liquid chromatographic (LC) method is described for the determination of the plant estrogens diadzein, formononetin, and coumestrol and the estrogenically active metabolite equol in bovine blood plasma and urine. The blood and urine samples are incubated overnight with and without beta-glucuronidase/sulfatase for analysis of both free and conjugated forms of estrogens. Samples are applied to Extrelut columns, extracted with ethyl acetate, and evaporated to dryness. Residues from urine samples are dissolved in methanol, diluted with water, acidified with HCl, and purified by injection through a Sep-Pak C18 cartridge. This eluate is used for LC analysis. Residues from blood samples are dissolved in benzene-petroleum ether (1 + 1), extracted with ammonium hydroxide, acidified with glacial acetic acid, and extracted with ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate extract is evaporated, dissolved in 80% methanol, injected onto a LC reverse-phase column, and separated in a linear gradient system between 40 and 80% methanol in phosphate buffer. Quantitation is performed by means of UV and fluorescence responses. The method was sensitive enough to determine 0.4 ng/mL of daidzein and formononetin and 0.1 and 13 ng/mL of coumestrol and equol, respectively, in blood, and 130, 80, and 7 ng/mL of daidzein, formononetin, and coumestrol, respectively, and 4 micrograms/mL of equol in urine. The applicability of the method was checked by the determination of total and free plant estrogens in blood samples from a dairy cow fed a normal diet.

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) induces degeneration of dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathways in humans and monkeys resulting in a syndrome similar to idiopathic parkinsonism. MPTP is first metabolized to 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine (MPP+), a primary neurotoxin, by monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) and then taken up into dopaminergic neurons through the dopamine reuptake system. Although the molecular basis of this toxicity in destroying the nigro-striatal system has not been well established, the discovery of MPTP has led to extensive studies trying to find substances that produce parkinsonism. Tetrahydroisoquinoline has been presumed to be as an endogenous toxic substance that may produce parkinsonism. Furthermore, the presence of tetrahydroisoquinoline as a novel endogenous amine in the rat and human brains has recently been documented. In this paper, the author describes a new procedure for quantitation of N-methylisoquinolinium ion (NMIQ+), the oxidative analog of N-methylated tetrahydroisoquinoline, by use of its natural fluorescence and high-performance liquid chromatography. The separation of NMIQ+ was carried out by ion exchange chromatography on a column of weakly acidic ion exchanger with an hydrophilic matrix (Asahipak ES-502C) and by gel filtration chromatography on a column of hydrophilic polymer gels (Asahipak-320H). The method was simple and sensitive enough to measure less than 50 fmol of NMIQ+. The uptake of NMIQ+ by rat striatal slices was found by applying this method to the sliced tissue. The uptake was shown to be inhibited by nomifensine, a selective inhibitor of dopamine uptake. The result suggests that NMIQ+ as well as MPP+ is taken up into dopaminergic neurons by the dopamine uptake system.

Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic beverage derived by boiling the bark of the Malpighiaceous liana Banisteriopsis caapi together with the leaves of various admixture plants, viz. Psychotria viridis, Psychotria carthagenensis , or Diplopterys cabrerana . B. caapi contains harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine while the admixtures contain N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). DMT, a potent hallucinogen, is inactive orally due to degradation by visceral monoamine oxidase (MAO). The beta-carbolines, however, are highly active reversible inhibitors of MAO and may protect the DMT from deamination by MAO and render it orally active. This mechanism has been proposed to underlie the oral activity of ayahuasca but has not been experimentally confirmed. In the present study the constituents of the admixture plants and the alkaloids of eight ayahuasca samples from Peru were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed using two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Several B. caapi cultivars were quantitatively compared for variations in alkaloid content. Three admixture plants used rarely in the manufacture of ayahuasca were also screened for alkaloids. A selected sample of beta-carbolines were screened for activity as MAO inhibitors using an in vitro assay system, and structure/activity relationships were compared. Inhibition observed with single compounds was compared with the activity of selected samples of ayahuasca which were screened in the system and also with the activity of mixtures of beta-carbolines. The levels of DMT and beta-carbolines found in the ayahuasca samples examined in the present study were an order of magnitude greater than the levels reported in a previous study. Ayahuasca was found to be an extremely effective inhibitor of MAO in vitro and the degree of inhibition was directly correlated with the concentration of MAO-inhibiting beta-carbolines. Inhibition experiments using mixtures of beta-carbolines indicated that their effects in combination are additive, rather than synergistic or antagonistic. Implications of the results in understanding the pharmacology of ayahuasca are discussed.

A sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the determination of moclobemide and three of its metabolites in plasma and urine. The four substances and the internal standard were extracted from basified plasma (pH 11) with dichloromethane, with recoveries of generally more than 70%. A column packed with 5-microns Spherisorb hexyl phase and an eluent consisting of acetonitrile and aqueous phosphate buffer 30:320 (v/v) with a pH of 3.9 were found most suitable for the chromatographic separation of the four compounds of interest. Non-ideal interactions of the basic compounds and the N-oxide metabolite occurred with many other reversed-phase materials, as indicated by broad and tailing peaks. Limits of quantitation for moclobemide and its three metabolites in the range 20-30 ng/ml and a good intra-assay reproducibility ranging between 2 and 5% for concentrations over 100 ng/ml could be achieved for plasma, which increased to ca. 8-10% at a concentration of 50 ng/ml.

Seven solvent systems for the thin-layer chromatographic separation of hydrazidic monoamine oxidase inhibitor drugs have been developed. Detection of compounds at the microgram level was performed with the aid of thirteen spray reagents.

Inhibitory modulators of monoamine oxidase (MAO) were found in rat heart 105,000 X g supernatant. The modulators inhibited MAO activity present in the outer mitochondrial membrane. The inhibition was noncompetitive when using membrane-associated MAO as enzyme source. The modulators did not, however, inhibit the enzyme activity in the soluble fraction prepared from outer mitochondrial membranes. MAO inhibitory modulator concentration in rat heart cytosol was increased by the administration of T4 to rats. Three different inhibitory molecules were identified by gel filtration studies. These results suggest that thyroid hormone regulates membrane-associated MAO activity via the production of MAO inhibitory modulators, that the modulators probably bind to specific sites on the outer mitochondrial membrane, and that this binding of modulators to the membranes may result in a structural change in the mitochondrial membrane and a decrease in MAO enzyme activity.