Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (including the newer reversible compounds)

  • Chapter
Anxiolytics

Part of the book series: Milestones in Drug Therapy ((MDT))

  • 158 Accesses

Abstract

In the mid-1950s the chance finding of iproniazid’s mood-elevating properties [1] led to the discovery that inhibition of monoamine oxidase (MAO) results in changes in cerebral function. Monoamine oxidase metabolizes and thus inactivates endogenous pressor amines (like serotonin and noradrenaline) as well as ingested amines absorbed from the gut (like tyramine). The therapeutic effect of MAOIs is supposed to be linked to an inhibition of the degradation of serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine resulting in their increased availability. Among the various types of monoamine oxidases, those located in mitochondria, namely MAO-A and MAO-B, are of special interest for neuropsychiatry. Both enzymes are present in most tissues in the CNS but also in peripheral organs. MAO-A selectively deaminates serotonin and noradrenaline while benzylamines and phenythylamines are preferential substrates for MAO-B. In humans, dopamine is deaminated by both MAOs, hence the use of MAOIs in Parkinson’s disease. First generation MAOIs are non-selective (inhibiting both enzymes) and irreversible, meaning that MAO is permanently inhibited by their action. MAO activity only resumed after treatment had been discontinued for several weeks, allowing new enzyme to be generated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Kline NS (1970) Monoamine oxidase inhibitors. In: FG Ayd, B Blackwell (eds):Discoveries in biological psychiatry.Lippincott, Philadelphia, 194–204

    Google Scholar 

  2. Livingston MG, Livingston HM (1996) Monoamine oxidase inhibitors. An update on drug interactions.Drug Safety14: 219–227

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Sternbach H (1991) Serotonin syndrome.Amer J of Psychiat148: 705–713

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Angst J, Amrein R, Stabl M (1996) Moclobemide: a paradigm of research in clinical psychopharmacology.Int Clin Psychopharmacol11 (suppl. 3): 3–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Freeman H (1993) Moclobemide.Lancet342: 1528–1532

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Fulton B, Benfield (1996) Moclobemide. An update of its pharmacological properties and therapeutic use.Drugs52: 450–474

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Pateron D, Babany G, Hadengue A, Delafosse B, Degott C, Sylvain C, Larrey D, Benhamou JP (1990) Hüpatites fulminantes mortelles chez deux femmes prenant de la toloxatone (Humoryl)Gastroenterol Clin Biol14: 504–506

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Neuvonen PJ, Pohjola-Sintonen S, Tacke U, Vuori E (1993) Five fatal cases of serotonin syndrome after moclobemide-citalopram or moclobemide-clomipramine overdoses.Lancet342: 1419

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Robinson DS, Nies A, Ravaris CL, Lamborn KR (1973) The monoamine oxidase inhibitor, phenelzine, in the treatment of depressive-anxiety states.Arch Gen Psychiat29: 407–413

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Kelly D, Guirguis W, Frommer E, Mitchell-Heggs N, Sargant W (1970) Treatment of phobic states with antidepressants.Brit J Psychiat116: 387–398

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Tyrer P, Candy J, Kelly D (1973) A study of the clinical effects of phenelzine and placebo in the treatment of phobic anxiety.Psychopharmacologia32: 237–254

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Sheehan DV, Ballenger J, Jacobsen G (1980) Treatment of endogenous anxiety with phobic, hysterical, and hypochondriacal symptomsArch Gen Psychiat37: 51–59

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. American Psychiatric Association (1980)Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders third edition. APA, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Ballenger JC, Howell EF, Laraia M et al (1987) Comparison of four medicines in panic disorder.Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric AssociationChicago

    Google Scholar 

  15. Versiani M, Costa e Silva JA, Klerman GL (1987) Treatment of panic disorder with alprazolam, clomipramine, imipramine, tranylcypromine or placebo.Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.San Juan, Puerto Rico

    Google Scholar 

  16. Berger P, Amering M, Dantendorfer K, Alf C, Kutzer M, Katschnig H (1991) Moclobemide in Panic Disorder.(Abstract) 5th World Congress of Biological PsychiatryFlorence, Italy

    Google Scholar 

  17. Dilbaz N, Arihan AG (1993) Reversible MAO Inhibitor in the treatment of panic disorder.Paper presented at the 9th World Congress of Psychiatry,Rio de Janiero, Brazil

    Google Scholar 

  18. Tiller JWG, Bouwer C, Behnke K (1997) Moclobemide for anxiety disorders: a focus on moclobemide for panic disorder.Int Clin Psychopharmacol12 (suppl 69) S27–S30

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Montgomery SA (1999) The failure of placebo-controlled studies.Eur Neuropsychopharmacol9: 271–276

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Garcia-Borreguero D, Lauer CJ, Özdaglar A, Wiedemann K, Holsboer F, Krieg JC (1992) Brofaromine in panic disorder: a pilot study with a new reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase A.Pharmacopsychiatry25: 261–264

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Bakish D, Saxena BM, Bowen R, D’Souza J (1993) Reversible monoamine oxidase-A inhibitors in panic disorder.Clin Neuropsychopharmacol16 (suppl 2) S77–S82

    Google Scholar 

  22. Van Vliet IM, Westenberg HGM, Den Boer JA (1993) MAO inhibitors in panic disorder: clinical effects of treatment with brofaromine.Psychopharmacology112.483–489

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Waldmeier PC, Graf T, Germer M, Feldtrauer JJ, Howald H (1993) Serotonin uptake inhibition by monoamine oxidase inhibitor brofaromineBiol Psychiat33: 373–379

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Griebel G, Perrault G, Sanger DJ (1997) Behavioural profiles of the reversible monoamine-oxidase-A inhibitors befloxatone and moclobemide in an experimental model for screening anxiolytic and anti-panic drugs.Psychopharmacology131: 180–186

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Ramaekers JG, van Veggel LMA, O’Hanlon JF (1994) A cross-study comparison of the effects of moclobemide and brofaromine on the actual driving performance and estimated sleep.Clin Neuropharmacol17 (suppl 1) S9–S18

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Degonda M, Angst J (1993) The Zurich study. XX. Social phobia and agoraphobia.Eur Arch Psychiat Clin Neurosci243: 95–102

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Liebowitz MR, Fyer AJ, Gorman JM, Campeas R, Levin A (1986) Phenelzine in social phobia.J Clin Psychopharmacol6: 93–98

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Versiani M, Mundim FD, Nardi AE, Liebowitz MR (1988) Tranylcypromine in social phobia.J Clin Psychopharmacol8: 279–283

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Versiani M, Nardi AE, Mundim FD (1989) Fobia social.J Brasileiro Psiquiatria38: 251–263

    Google Scholar 

  30. Gelernter CS, Uhde TW, Cimbolic P, Arnkoff DB, Vittone BJ, Tancer ME, Bartko JJ (1991) Cognitive-behavioral and pharmacological treatments of social phobia.Arch Gen Psychiat48: 938–945

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Liebowitz MR, Schneier F, Campeas R, Hollander E, Hatterer J, Fyer A, Gorman J, Papp L, Davies S, Gully R, Klein DF (1992) Phenelzine vs atenolol in social phobia. A placebo-controlled comparison.Arch Gen Psychiat49: 290–300

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Versiani M, Nardi AE, Mundim FD, Alves AB, Liebowitz MR, Amrein R (1992) Pharmacotherapy of social phobia.Brit J Psychiat161: 353–360

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Heimberg RG, Liebowitz MR, Hope DA, Schneier FR, Holt CS, Welkowitz LA, Juster HR, Campeas R, Bruch MA, Cloitre M, Fallon B, Klein DF (1998) Cognitive behavioral group therapy vs phenelzine therapy for social phobia: 12-week outcome.Arch Gen Psychiat55: 1133–1141

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Bisserbe JC, Lüpine JP, GRP group (1994) Moclobemide in social phobia: a pilot open study.Clin Neuropharmacol17 (suppl 1): S88–S94

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Schneier FR, Goetz D, Campeas R, Fallon B, Marshall R, Liebowitz MR (1998) Placebo-controlled trial of moclobemide in social phobia.Brit J Psychiat172: 70–77

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Noyes R, Moroz G, Davidson JRT, Liebowitz MR, Davidson A, Siegel J, Bell J, Cain JW, Curlik SM, Kent TA et al (1997) Moclobemide in social phobia: a controlled dose-response trial.J Clin Psychopharmacol17: 247–254

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. International Multicenter Clinical Trial Group on Moclobemide in Social Phobia (1997) Moclobemide in social phobia.Eur Arch Psychiat Clin Neurosci247: 71–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Versiani M, Nardi AE, Mundim FD, Pinto S, Saboya E, Kovacs R (1996) The long-term treatment of social phobia with moclobemide.Int Clin Psychopharmacol11 (suppl 3): 83–88

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Bakish D (1994) The use of the reversible monoamine oxidase-A inhibitor brofaromine in social phobia complicated by panic disorder with or without agoraphobia.J Clin Psychopharmacol14: 74–75

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Garcia-Borreguero D, Bronisch T (1992) Improvement of social phobic symptoms after treatment with brofaromine, a reversible and selective inhibitor of MAO-A.Eur Psychiat7: 93–94

    Google Scholar 

  41. Van Vliet IM, den Boer JA, Westenberg HGM (1992) Psychopharmacological treatment of social phobia: clinical and biochemical effects of brofaromine, a selective MAO-A inhibitor.Eur Neuropsychopharmacol2: 21–29

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Fahlün T, Nilsson HL, Borg K, Humble M, Pauli U (1995) Social phobia: the clinical efficacy and tolerability of the monoamine oxidase-A and serotonin uptake inhibitor brofaromine.Acta Psychiat Scand92: 351–358

    Google Scholar 

  43. Fahlün T (1995) Personality traits in social phobia, II: changes during treatment.J Clin Psychiat56: 569–573

    Google Scholar 

  44. Lott M, Greist J, Jefferson JW, Kobak KA, Katzelnick DJ, Katz RJ, Schaettle SC (1997) Brofaromine for social phobia: a multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind study.J Clin Psychopharmacol17: 255–260

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Hogben GL, Cornfield RB (1981) Treatment of traumatic war neuroses with phenelzine.Arch Gen Psychiat38: 440–445

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Walker JI (1982) Chemotherapy of traumatic war stress.Milit Med147: 1029–1033

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Shen WW, Park S (1983) The use of monoamine oxidase inhibitors in the treatment of traumatic war neurosis.Milit Med148: 430–431

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Milanes FJ, Mack CN, Dennison J et al (1984) Phenelzine treatment of post-Vietnam stress syndrome.VA PractitionerJune: 40–49

    Google Scholar 

  49. Birkheimer LJ, DeVane CL, Muniz CE (1985) Posttraumatic stress disorder: characteristics and pharmacological response in the veteran population.Compr Psychiat26: 304–310

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Bleich A, Siegel B, Garb R (1986) Post-traumatic stress disorder following combat exposure: clinical features and psychopharmacological treatment.Brit J Psychiat149: 365–369

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Davidson JRT, Walker JI, Kilts C (1987) A pilot study of phenelzine in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.Brit J Psychiat150: 252–255

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Lerer B, Bleich A, Kotler M, Garb R, Hertzberg M, Levin B (1987) Posttraumatic stress disorder in Israeli combat veterans: effects of phenelzine treatment.Arch Gen Psychiat44: 976–981

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Shestatzky M, Greenberg D, Lerer B (1988) A controlled trial of phenelzine in posttraumatic stress disorder.Psychiat Res24: 149–155

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Frank JB, Kosten TR, Giller Jr EL, Dan E (1988) A randomized clinical trial of phenelzine and imipramine for posttraumatic stress disorder.Amer J Psychiat145: 1289–1291

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Neal LA, Shapland W, Fox C (1997) An open trial of moclobemide in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.Int Clin Psychopharmacol12: 231–237

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Baker DG, Diamond BI, Gillette G, Hamner M, Katzelnick D, Keller T, Mellman TA, Pontius E, Rosenthal M, Tucker et al (1995) A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multi-center study of brofaromine in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.Psychopharmacology122: 386–389

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Katz RJ, Lott MH, Arbus P, Crocq L, Herlobsen P, Lingjaerde O, Lopez G, Loughrey GC, Macfarlane DJ, McIvor R et al. (1994/1995) Pharmacotherapy of post-traumatic stress disorder with a novel psychotropic.Anxiety1: 169–174

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Quintiles, 3-5, rue Maurice Ravel, F-92594 Levallois-Perret, France

    Raimund Buller

  2. F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Dept. of Clinical Pharmacology, Grenzachstrasse 124, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland

    Jorga M. Karin

Authors
  1. Raimund Buller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jorga M. Karin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institut de Recherche Pierre Fabre, Parc Industriel de la Chartreuse, Castres, 81100, France

    Mike Briley

  2. Psychopharmacology Unit School of Medical Science, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK

    David Nutt

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2000 Springer Basel AG

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Buller, R., Karin, J.M. (2000). Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (including the newer reversible compounds). In: Briley, M., Nutt, D. (eds) Anxiolytics. Milestones in Drug Therapy. Birkhäuser, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-8470-9_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-8470-9_4

  • Publisher Name: Birkhäuser, Basel

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-0348-9581-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-0348-8470-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation