Rasagiline preclinical studies: Implications for neuroprotection

Rasagiline, a second-generation, irreversible, selective monoamine oxidase type B inhibitor, has demonstrated neuroprotective activity in both in vitro and in vivo models relevant to Parkinson disease. Available evidence suggests that rasagiline may facilitate dopaminergic cell survival by a variety of molecular mechanisms that prevent mitochondrial dysfunction, counteract oxidative stress, and modulate other potential mediators of apoptotic cell death. It remains unproven whether the preclinical neuroprotective activity of rasagiline is also evident in the clinical setting, although results of a delayed-start monotherapy trial in patients with early disease suggest it may have disease-modifying effects.