Activated microglia extensively produce nitric oxide (NO) by inducing expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS). NO plays a deleterious role in brain inflammation and neuronal death. In the present study, we investigated the effects of 1,3-selenazol-4-one derivatives (Sz-A, B, C, D and E) on NO production and iNOS expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BV-2 cells, a murine microglia cell line. Among these compounds, Sz-B and C remarkably inhibited LPS-induced NO production relative to that of Sz-A, D, and E at 5 microM in BV-2 cells. Sz-B and C dose-dependently inhibited NO production at 1, 5, and 10 microM without toxicity to BV-2 cells. Sz-B and C also dose-dependently suppressed iNOS expression at the same concentrations in LPS-induced BV-2 cells. This result suggests that Sz-B and C inhibit iNOS-mediated NO production in LPS-induced BV-2 cells. Structurally, Sz-B and C bear an ethyl or methyl group at the 5 positions of the 4-selenazolone skeletons, which could play an important role in inhibiting iNOS-mediated NO production.