What are MAOIs?
MAOIs, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, are a class of prescription medications used to treat depression. They were discovered accidentally in the 1950s, when the MAOI Iproniazid, used to treat tuberculosis, was noted for its ability to lighten mood. At that time, scientists were trying to prove that depression was not simply a state of mind or character flaw, but an illness. As more people came to acknowledge depression as an illness, more people sought drug therapy. MAOIs, along with tricyclic anti-depressants, were the first to pharmacologically address depression. However, negative and sometimes life-threatening side effects were quite common, and today the first line treatment for depression is a choice of SSRIs, serotonin reuptake inhibitors, because of fewer side effects. MAOIs work by destroying a protein in the brain and liver called monoamine oxidase. Monoamine oxidase uses up monoamines, which carry three mood-elevating chemicals: serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. By red
MAOIs – monoamine oxidase inhibitors – are old generation antidepressants, Parnate (tranylcypromine) and Nardil (phenelzine) being the best known. They work by blocking the enzyme monoamine oxidase, which allows the neurotransmitters to function as usual. Side effects can be very burdensome, which make these drugs a last option. These include an outside risk of hypertension, which necessitates extreme dietary restrictions. Some psychiatrists, however, believe these drugs work particularly well for atypical depression, and should be regarded as a viable treatment option. Somerset Pharmaceuticals is experimenting with Seligeline as a transdermal patch that is not supposed to have the usual MAOI side effects.
