Monoamine Oxidase-A Inhibitors from Medicinal Plants

Thirty kinds of medicinal plants were screened to examine inhibitory activities on rat brain monoamine oxidase A, using serotonin as a substrate. As active principles, various kinds of stilbenes were isolated from Veratri Rhizoma, Reynoutriae Radix and Rhei undulati Rhizoma, and several kinds of flavonoids from Sophorae Flos, Chrisanthemi Flos and Glycine max. Among the compounds isolated, resveratrol(I) strongly inhibited MAO-A competitively, and its $IC_{50}$ and Ki values were 2 ${\mu}M$ and 2.5 ${\mu}M$, respectively. Inhibitory potencies towards MAO-A of some stilbenes and flavonoids were also compared.