A novel neuroprotective cholinesterase-monoamine oxidase inhibitor for treatment of dementia and depression in Parkinson’s disease

The current novel therapeutic approach suggests that multi-targeted compounds, with diverse biological activities but a single set of bioavailability and pharmacokinetics, will be significantly more advantageous in the treatment of the complex pathology of Parkinson’s diseases (PD) than traditional therapies. This review introduces a novel cholinesterase (ChE)-monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor, namely MT-031, which was designed by amalgamating the propargyl moiety of the irreversible selective MAO-B inhibitor and neuroprotective/neurorestorative anti-Parkinsonian drug, rasagiline, into the methylamino position of the ChE inhibitor anti-AD drug, rivastigmine. MT-031 possesses neuroprotective, cognition enhancing, anti-depressant, and anti-inflammatory properties both in vitro and in vivo. Altogether, these findings suggest that MT-031 may be a potential treatment for combating PD and associated dementia and depression.