Abstract
Mitochondrial enzymes are studied as targets of established or newly synthesized drugs for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the early stages of drug development, in vitro testing is therefore performed aimed to determine drug effects on both individual mitochondrial enzymes and complex mitochondrial functions.
We tested the effects of various cognitives, nootropics, supplements, and newly synthesized potential AD drugs (modulators of 17-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase X, HSD10) on the rate of oxygen consumption by mitochondria and the activity of individual mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes, citrate synthase, and monoamine oxidase (MAO). In comparison with the known inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation or MAO, none of the tested substances showed significant mitochondrial toxicity.