Title:Metabolism of Selegiline [(-)-Deprenyl)]
Volume: 21
Issue: 13
Author(s): H. Kalasz, K. Magyar, E. Szoke, E. Adeghate, A. Adem, M.Y. Hasan, S.M. Nurulain and K. Takes
Affiliation:
Keywords:
(-)-Amphetamine, (-)-desmethyldeprenyl, (-)-methamphetamine, deprenyl-N-oxide, formaldehyde, selegiline.
Abstract: Selegiline (1) [(-)-deprenyl] is used to treat patients with Parkinson’s disease. Nevertheless, in much higher
doses it has beneficial effects in depression, and dementia of the aged patients. Selegiline (1) undergoes a complex metabolic
pathway. Its major metabolites include (-)-desmethyldeprenyl (2), (-)-methamphetamine (3) and (-)-amphetamine
(4), deprenyl-N-oxide (5) and formaldehyde (6) as a small metabolic fragment. In addition, more than 40 minor metabolites
of selegiline (1) have also been either detected or proposed by investigators and researchers. This review analyses the
pharmacological activity, generation pathway and the detection method of the major metabolites of selegiline (1).
