MONOAMINE OXIDASE INHIBITING PROPERTIES OF SU-11,739 IN THE RAT. COMPARISON WITH PARGYLINE, TRANYLCYPROMINE AND IPRONIAZID

¹ Research Laboratories of the Pharmaceutical Department of CIBA LIMITED, Basle, Switzerland

N-methyl-N-2-propynyl-1-indanamine, is a new nonhydrazine monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor. It is characterized by a very high potency in vitro as well as by a relatively selective lack of action on liver MAO in vivo. A single s.c. injection of 1.5 mg/kg of Su-11,739 caused significant MAO inhibition for at least 3 weeks in the brain while the liver recovered normal MAO activity after about 1 week. In vivo, Su-11,739 was found to be 15 to 25 times more potent than pargyline and to differ qualitatively from tranylcypromine and iproniazid, principally by its selectivity for MAO of the central nervous system.