The inhibition of rat brain monoamine oxidase-B by J-508 (N-methyl-N-propargyl-(1-indanyl)-ammonium hydrochloride), and its use for the titration of this enzyme form.

The interaction between rat brain monoamine oxidase-B and J-508, an analogue of L-deprenil, has been investigated. J-508 inhibits rat brain monoamine oxidase-B in a manner consistent with a 'suicide' reaction, and is so potent an inhibitor that it produces inhibition at concentrations of the same order as those of the enzyme. This property has been used to determine the nature of the changed monoamine oxidase-B activity in the corpus striatum after hemitransection of rat brain.