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7097260 
Journal Article 
Review 
Selective MAO-B inhibitors: a lesson from natural products 
Carradori, S; D'Ascenzio, M; Chimenti, P; Secci, D; Bolasco, A; , 
2014 
1 
Molecular Diversity
ISSN: 1381-1991
EISSN: 1573-501X 
SPRINGER 
DORDRECHT 
18 
1 
219-243 
English 
24218136 
WOS:000330978900018 
Monoamine oxidases (MAOs) are mitochondrial bound enzymes, which catalyze the oxidative deamination of monoamine neurotransmitters. Inside the brain, MAOs are present in two isoforms: MAO-A and MAO-B. The activity of MAO-B is generally higher in patients affected by neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Therefore, the search for potent and selective MAO-B inhibitors is still a challenge for medicinal chemists. Nature has always been a source of inspiration for the discovery of new lead compounds. Moreover, natural medicine is a major component in all traditional medicine systems. In this review, we present the latest discoveries in the search for selective MAO-B inhibitors from natural sources. For clarity, compounds have been classified on the basis of structural analogy or source: flavonoids, xanthones, tannins, proanthocyanidins, iridoid glucosides, curcumin, alkaloids, cannabinoids, and natural sources extracts. MAO inhibition values reported in the text are not always consistent due to the high variability of MAO sources (bovine, pig, rat brain or liver, and human) and to the heterogeneity of the experimental protocols used.