Food interactions, monoamine oxidase inhibitors

Levodopa interacts with many different drugs. When levodopa is used with phenytoin, reserpine, and papaverine, there is a decrease in response to levodopa The risk of a hypertensive crisis increases when levodopa is used with the monoamine oxidase inhibitors (see Chap. 31). Foods high in pyridoxine (vitamin B6) or vitamin B6 preparations reverse the effect of levodopa However, when carbidopa is used with levodopa, pyridoxine has no effect on the action of levodopa hi fact, when levodopa and carbidopa are given together, pyridoxine may be prescribed to decrease the adverse effects associated with levodopa... 

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs). Early studies also evaluated the effectiveness of the MAOl phenelzine. Phenelzine, relative to TCAs, provided greater benefit for PTSD however, its usefulness is limited by its potential for drug and food interactions. A recent open label study suggests that the reversible MAOI moclobemide might be helpful for PTSD. It is not available in the United States. 

Arguably the first modern class of antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) were introduced in the 1950s but are now rarely used in clinical practice because of toxicity and potentially lethal food and drug interactions. Their primary use now is in the treatment of depression unresponsive to other antidepressants. However, MAOIs have also been used historically to treat anxiety states, including social anxiety and panic disorder. In addition, selegiline is used for the treatment of Parkinson s disease (see Chapter 28). 

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (eg, tranylcypromine, phenelzine) are older antidepressants that are occasionally used for resistant depression. They can cause severe hypertensive reactions when interacting foods or drugs are taken (see Chapters 9 and 30), and they can interact with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). 

The high incidence of drug-food and drug-drug interactions rules out monoamine oxidase inhibitors as antidepressants of first choice. However, there are circumstances in which these agents may be used effectively and successfully ... 

S.B. Lipman, and K. Nash, Monoamine oxidase inhibitor update Potential adverse food and drug interactions. Drug Safety 5 195-204, 1990. 

The monoamine oxidase inhibitors epitomize cyclical fashions in drug use and the impact of adverse effects. They were the first psychotropic drugs for which a clear biochemical action was defined. Early excitement was quickly tempered by reports of liver toxicity with the hydrazine derivatives, leading to synthesis of the cyclopropylamine drug, tranylcypromine, which in turn elicited the food and drug interactions that led to an overall decline in popularity. 

Phentolamine is a non-selective alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist. It is used to treat hypertensive crises attributable to the effects of noradrenahne, as in pheochromo-cytoma and during the interaction of monoamine oxidase inhibitors with amine-containing medicaments and foods (1). Its adverse effects are similar to those of phenoxy-benzamine. 

When explaining possible medication and/or food interactions, for example the importance of avoiding alcohol with certain drugs such metronidazole or cheese with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). 

Administered as a single, daily dose on an empty stomach Monoamine oxidase inhibitors drug-food interactions with tyramine-rich foods such as red wines, dark beers, aged cheeses, yogurt may precipitate hypertensive crisis drug interactions tricyclic antidepressants and SSRIs, sympathomimetics disulfiram-like reaction with alcohol... 

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors Linezolid is a reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase and can cause drug-drug interactions when it is combined with monoamine oxidase inhibitors, monoamines such as adrenaline and noradrenaline, tyramine-containing foods, and other serotonergic agents. Several cases of serotonin syndrome have been reported... 

Procarbazine is a weak inhibitor of monoamine oxidase adverse drug and food interactions can occur, for example with tyramine-containing foods and drinks,... 

The modest improvements achieved in selectivity with respect to serotonin reuptake inhibition may also have been achieved with an isoenzyme system. Moclobemide, which was introduced in Sweden, reversibly inhibits monoamine oxidase A (RIMA). It is likely that this eliminates the severe hypertensive drug and food interactions that so severely limit the usefulness of the very effective earlier MAO inhibitors, since tyramine is now metabolized. An additional benefit of such agents may be a lack of cholinergic and cardiovascular effects. 

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