High throughput screening to identify natural human monoamine oxidase B inhibitors

Age-related increase in monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) may contribute to CNS neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, MAO-B inhibitors are used in the treatment of idiopathic Parkinson disease as preliminary monotherapy or adjunct therapy with L-dopa. To date, meager natural sources of MAO-B inhibitors have been identified, and the relative strength, potency and rank of many plants relative to standard drugs such as Selegiline (L-deprenyl,Eldepryl) are not known. In this work, we developed and utilized a high throughput enzyme microarray format to screen and evaluate 905 natural product extracts (0.025-.7 mg/ml) to inhibit human MAO-B derived from BTI-TN-5B1-4 cells infected with recombinant baculovirus. The protein sequence of purified enzyme was confirmed using 1D gel electrophoresis-matrix assisted laser desorption ionization -time-of-flight-tandem mass spectroscopy, and enzyme activity was confirmed by [1] substrate conversion (3-mM benzylamine) to H202 and [2] benzaldehyde. Of the 905 natural extracts tested, the lowest IC50s [<0.07 mg/ml] were obtained with extracts of Amur Corktree (Phellodendron amurense), Bakuchi Seed(Cyamopsis psoralioides), Licorice Root (Glycyrrhiza glabra/uralensis), Babchi (Psoralea corylifolia seed). The data also show, albeit to a lesser extent, inhibitory properties of herbs originating from the mint family (Lamiaceae) and Turmeric, Comfrey, Bringraj, Skullcap, Kava-kava, Wild Indigo, Gentian and Green Tea. In conclusion, the data reflect relative potency information by rank of commonly used herbs and plants that contain human MAO-B inhibitory properties in their natural form.