(-)-Trans-epsilon-viniferin, a polyphenol present in wines, is an inhibitor of noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine uptake and of monoamine oxidase activity

Eur J Pharmacol. 2006 Aug 7;542(1-3):54-60. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2006.06.005. Epub 2006 Jun 10.

Abstract

(-)-Trans-epsilon-viniferin (epsilon-viniferin, 5-200 microM), a dimer of resveratrol, concentration-dependently inhibited the uptake of [3H]noradrenaline and [3H]5-HT by synaptosomes from rat brain (being slightly but significantly more selective against [3H]noradrenaline) and the uptake of [3H]5-HT by human platelets. On the other hand, epsilon-viniferin (5-200 microM) concentration-dependently inhibited the enzymatic activity of commercial (human recombinant) monoamine oxidase (MAO) isoform (MAO-A and MAO-B) activity, being slightly but significantly more selective against MAO-B than against MAO-A. Taking into account that the principal groups of drugs used to treat major depression are noradrenaline/5-HT uptake or MAO inhibitors, under the assumption that epsilon-viniferin exhibits a similar behaviour in humans in vivo, our results suggest that this natural polyphenol may be of value as a structural template for the design and development of new antidepressant drugs with two important biochemical activities combined in the same chemical structure: noradrenaline/5-HT uptake and MAO inhibitory activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Benzofurans / chemistry
  • Benzofurans / pharmacology*
  • Blood Platelets / drug effects
  • Blood Platelets / metabolism
  • Brain / drug effects*
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Cell Line
  • Citalopram / pharmacology
  • Clorgyline / pharmacology
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Fluoxetine / analogs & derivatives
  • Fluoxetine / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Imipramine / pharmacology
  • Iproniazid / pharmacology
  • Isoenzymes / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Isoenzymes / genetics
  • Isoenzymes / metabolism
  • Male
  • Monoamine Oxidase / genetics
  • Monoamine Oxidase / metabolism
  • Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Norepinephrine / pharmacokinetics*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Recombinant Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Selegiline / pharmacology
  • Serotonin / pharmacokinetics*
  • Stilbenes / chemistry
  • Stilbenes / pharmacology*
  • Synaptosomes / drug effects
  • Synaptosomes / metabolism
  • Tritium
  • Wine*

Substances

  • Benzofurans
  • Isoenzymes
  • Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Stilbenes
  • Fluoxetine
  • Citalopram
  • Tritium
  • nisoxetine
  • Selegiline
  • Serotonin
  • epsilon-viniferin
  • Iproniazid
  • Monoamine Oxidase
  • Clorgyline
  • Imipramine
  • Norepinephrine