Monoamine oxidase inhibitors chemical structures

Therapeutic Function Antidepressant, Monoamine oxidase inhibitor Chemical Name 4-Pyridinecarboxylic acid 2-(l-methylethyl)hydrazide Common Name -Structural Formula ... 

Martin, M., F. Sanz, M. Campillo, L. Pardo, J. Perez, and J. Turmo. 1983b. Quantum Chemical Structure Activity Relationships on (3-carbolines as Natural Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors. Int. J. Quant. Chem. 23, 1643. 

Anorectic drugs act mainly on the satiety centre in the hypothalamus (1). They also have metabohc effects involving fat and carbohydrate metaboUsm. Most of them are structurally related to amfetamine and increase physical activity. Their therapeutic effect tends to abate after some months, and part of this reduction in effect may be due to chemical alterations in the brain. Fenfluramine commonly produces drowsiness in normal doses, but has stimulaut effects in overdosage. Dexamfetamine, phenmetrazine, and benzfetamine all tend to cause euphoria, with a risk of addiction. Euphoria occasionally occurs with amfepramone (diethylpropion), phentermine, and chlorphentermine, but to a much lesser extent. Some adverse effects are due to sympathetic stimulation and gastrointestinal irritation these may necessitate withdrawal but are never serious. There are interactions with monoamine oxidase inhibitors and antihypertensive drugs. 

The antidepressant drugs are generally classified according to their chemical structure (e.g., tricyclic antidepressants [TCA]) or according to their pharmacological action (e.g., monoamine oxidase inhibitors [MAOI] serotonin reuptake inhibitors [SSRI]). Certain other antidepressants, which do not fall into the above categories, are sometimes referred to as atypical antidepressants (see below). 

Antidepressants generally fall into one of three categories (1) tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), which are so named because of their three-ring chemical structure (2) selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which block only the reabsorption of serotonin and not of norepinephrine and (3) monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, which inhibit the metabolic breakdown of norepinephrine and/or serotonin. 

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