REGIONAL ACTION OF BROFAROMINE ON RAT-BRAIN MAO-A AND MAO-B

1. Brofaromine (CGP 11305 A) belongs to a new generation of monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. These compounds induce short, reversible and selective inhibition of brain MAO of type A. 2. The aim of this work is to study monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) and monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B ) activities of several rat brain regions after increasing doses of br ofaromine. 3. Brofaromine inhibits MAO-A activities in a dose dependen t manner in all brain regions examined. 4. The largest reduction was f ound in hippocampal formation, striatum and prefrontal cortex respecti vely. ID50 is 2 times lower in hippocampus than in remaining brain. 5. Brofaromine does not inhibit MAO-B activities in the different region s examined. 6. Brofaromine is a very selective inhibitor of rat brain MAO-A with a preferential action on telencephalic monoaminergic nerve terminals.