A NEW SERIES OF COUMARIN DERIVATIVES HAVING MONOAMINE-OXIDASE INHIBITORY ACTIVITY FROM MONASCUS-ANKA

Monankarins A-F (1-6), a new series of pigments having conjugated pyra no-coumarin skeleton have been isolated from Monascus anka. Their stru ctures have been elucidated by spectroscopic means and chemical modifi cation, Monankarins A-D exhibited monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitory a ctivity, while the activity was not observed in monankarins E and F or some other simple coumarins. Monankarin C (3) showed stronger inhibit ion of MAO-B than MAO-A in mice brain, However, the specificity was no t found in mice liver MAO.