Food constituents attenuate monoamine oxidase activity and peroxide levels in C6 astrocyte cells.

Glial cell monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity has been implicated as a contributor to oxidative neuronal damage associated with various neurodegenerative diseases. The attenuation of MAO activity may provide protection against oxidative neurodegeneration. In this investigation, the presence of MAO-B in rat C6 astrocyte cells was substantiated by dose-dependent inhibition of enzyme activity in the presence of chlorgyline-HCl and L-deprenyl. The present study evaluated various dietary-derived food constituents for evidence of inhibition on oxidative deamination of monoamines or peroxide radical trapping capacity. Results of this investigation indicate that compounds which inhibit C6 glial cell MAO enzyme activity or scavenge peroxide product include chlorogenic acid, (+)-catechin, taxifolin, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), fisetin, coenzyme Q0, curcumin, sesamol, morin, sesame oil, silymarin, green tea, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, and rutin hydrate. The results of this study indicate that dietary compounds can attenuate peroxide production in glial cells by either inhibiting the deamination of monoamines or acting as a free radical scavenger.