Focusing on new monoamine oxidase inhibitors.
BACKGROUND
Monoamine oxidase (MAO) plays a significant role in the control of intracellular concentration of monoaminergic neurotransmitters or neuromodulators and dietary amines. The rapid degradation of these molecules ensures the proper functioning of synaptic neurotransmission and is critically important for the regulation of emotional and other brain functions. Furthermore, modulators of neurotransmitters exert pleiotropic effects on mental and cognitive functions. The by-products of MAO-mediated reactions include several chemical species with neurotoxic potential. It is widely speculated that prolonged or excessive activity of these enzymes may be conducive to mitochondrial damages and neurodegenerative disturbances. In keeping with these premises, the development of human MAO inhibitors has led to important breakthroughs in the therapy of several neuropsychiatric disorders.


METHODS
This review highlights the recent MAO inhibitors related patents published from July 2005 to December 2009. It also reports on new associations of already known MAO inhibitors with other drugs, innovative therapeutic targets, MAO inhibitors obtained by plants extraction, alternative administration routes and synthetic processes.


RESULTS
The reader will gain an overview of the main structures being investigated and their biological activities.


CONCLUSIONS
Several of these MAO inhibitors appear promising for further clinical development.
Bolasco
Adriana
A
Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, P.le Aldo Moro, 5 00185 Rome, Italy. adriana.bolasco@uniroma1.it
Carradori
Simone
S
Fioravanti
Rossella
R
D000818:Animals; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010330:Patents as Topic
D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase