HealthCare

Youdim first developed the anti Parkinson's drug in at but Youdim recognized its anti Parkinson's properties "I Rasagiline, which appears to have an Life Etc: Rasagiline (trade name Azilect) is an irreversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase[1] used as a monotherapy in early Parkinson's disease or as an adjunct therapy in more advanced cases.

Selegiline was the first MAO inhibitor approved for use in Parkinson's disease in the United States. It is chemically similar to methamphetamine and its metabolic breakdown path eventually yields l-methamphetamine derivatives that have been associated with cardiac and psychiatric effects in some patients. The chief metabolite of rasagiline is 1(R)-aminoindan[6] which has no amphetamine characteristics. Some clinicians believe rasagiline will be better tolerated in sensitive patients for these reasons. Aminoindan inhibits both MAO-A and MAO-B in a reversible manner, although considerably weaker than rasagiline.[3]

Laboratory studies show that rasagiline has in vitro and in vivo neuroprotective effects but its neuroprotective effect in Parkinson's disease patients is unknown at present. These studies show that MAO-B can, under some circumstances, create a harmful chemical called MPP+ that in turn creates free radicals. These studies show that amphetamines may block this neuroprotective effect; since rasagiline does not metabolize to amphetamines or their metabolites it may have superior neuroprotective properties when compared to selegiline. There is uncertainty because the mechanism of cell death in human PD may or may not involve the actions of free radicals, but there is suggestive evidence that the drug slows disease progression.