Monoamine oxidase inhibition by Rhodiola rosea L. roots.
OBJECTIVE
Rhodiola rosea L. (Crassulaceae) is traditionally used in Eastern Europe and Asia to stimulate the nervous system, enhance physical and mental performance, treat fatigue, psychological stress and depression. In order to investigate the influence of Rhodiola rosea L. roots on mood disorders, three extracts were tested against monoamine oxidases (MAOs A and B) in a microtitre plate bioassay.


METHODS
Methanol and water extracts gave the highest inhibitory activity against MAOs. Twelve compounds were then isolated by bioassay-guided fractionation using chromatographic methods. The structures were determined by 1H, 13C NMR and HR-MS.


RESULTS
The methanol and water extracts exhibited respectively inhibitions of 92.5% and 84.3% on MAO A and 81.8% and 88.9% on MAO B, at a concentration of 100 microg/ml. The most active compound (rosiridin) presented an inhibition over 80% on MAO B at a concentration of 10(-5) M (pIC50=5.38+/-0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The present investigation demonstrates that Rhodiola rosea L. roots have potent anti-depressant activity by inhibiting MAO A and may also find application in the control of senile dementia by their inhibition of MAO B.
van Diermen
Daphne
D
Laboratory of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, University of Lausanne, Quai Ernest-Ansermet 30, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland.
Marston
Andrew
A
Bravo
Juan
J
Reist
Marianne
M
Carrupt
Pierre-Alain
PA
Hostettmann
Kurt
K
D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots; D029771:Rhodiola
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase