Different stereoselective inhibition of monoamine oxidase-B by the R- and S-enantiomers of MD 780236.

MD 780236, a selective inhibitor of the B form of MAO behaves as an irreversible inhibitor in in-vitro conditions and mainly as a short-acting inhibitor in ex-vivo experiments. The enantiomer with the R absolute configuration (MD 240928) is fully reversible in ex-vivo conditions, whereas the S-enantiomer (MD 240931) has kept the irreversible component of the inhibition seen with MD 780236. The corresponding racemic alcohol derivative (MD 760548) is also a short-acting inhibitor of the B form of MAO; its S-enantiomer, which has an absolute configuration corresponding to that of MD 240928, has a selectivity towards the B form superior to that of the other enantiomer. The mechanism of the MAO inhibition by MD 780236 is discussed.