Inhibition of platelet monoamine oxidase type B by selegiline.

Selegiline is an irreversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase type B (MAO-B). No comparative data are available on the MAO-B inhibition caused by orally and intravenously administered selegiline. This study aimed to clarify this matter and to investigate the dose-response of MAO inhibition caused by orally administered selegiline. Sixteen healthy volunteers were given selegiline as a single intravenous dose (0.5 mg) and in three low oral doses (0.5 mg, 1.0 mg, and 1.5 mg) in an open-label randomized crossover trial. The MAO-B inhibition after the 0.5-mg intravenous dose was 79.6 +/- 15.1%. The dose-response of the three oral doses causing MAO-B inhibition was logistic. To check whether this equation could be applied to higher doses, eight of the volunteers were given 5-mg and 10-mg oral doses. The MAO-B inhibition after these doses (84.9 +/- 11.9% and 95.6 +/- 4.5, respectively) fitted well with the logistic model. With this equation obtained, it was calculated that a 3.4-mg oral dose of selegiline would be needed to obtain the same degree of MAO-B inhibition as after the intravenous dose of 0.5 mg. Therefore, the ratio of MAO-B inhibitory potential of intravenously and orally given selegiline is approximately 7 to 1, which fits well with the low bioavailability of the drug after oral administration.