[An endogenous inhibitor of monoamine oxidase A (tribulin A) from brain: purification and structure identification]

The endogenous monoamine oxidase inhibitor, tribulin, contains several components which selectively (or nonselectively) inhibit monoamine oxidases A and B. The pig brain tribulin component selectively inhibiting monoamine oxidase A was purified and identified as 4-hydroxyphenylethanol using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. This compound was also found in the rabbit brain tribulin fraction which selectively inhibits monoamine oxidase A but has no influence on monoamine oxidase B. 4-Hydroxyphenylethanol inhibits monoamine oxidase A in an incompetitive manner with respect to the substrate, serotonin (Ki = 1.4 mM). Possible pathways of 4-hydroxyphenylethanol synthesis and its biological importance as the monoamine oxidase A inhibiting component of tribulin are discussed.