Isocarboxazid

Isocarboxazid
Clinical data

Trade names	Marplan
AHFS/Drugs.com	Consumer Drug Information
MedlinePlus	a605036
Pregnancy category	C (USA)
Routes of administration	Oral
ATC code	N06AF01 (WHO)
Legal status
Legal status	AU: S4 (Prescription only) In general: ℞ (Prescription only)
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability	?
Metabolism	Liver
Biological half-life	?
Excretion	Urine
Identifiers
IUPAC name N′-benzyl-5-methylisoxazole-3-carbohydrazide
CAS Number	59-63-2^Y
PubChem CID	3759
IUPHAR/BPS	7204
DrugBank	DB01247^Y
ChemSpider	3628^Y
UNII	34237V843T
KEGG	D02580^Y
ChEMBL	CHEMBL1201168^N
ECHA InfoCard	100.000.399
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C₁₂H₁₃N₃O₂
Molar mass	231.25 g/mol
3D model (Jmol)	Interactive image
SMILES O=C(NNCc1ccccc1)c2noc(c2)C
InChI InChI=1S/C12H13N3O2/c1-9-7-11(15-17-9)12(16)14-13-8-10-5-3-2-4-6-10/h2-7,13H,8H2,1H3,(H,14,16)^Y Key:XKFPYPQQHFEXRZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N^Y
^NY (what is this?)

Isocarboxazid (Marplan, Marplon, Enerzer) is a non-selective, irreversible monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) of the hydrazine class used as an antidepressant. Along with phenelzine and tranylcypromine, it is one of only three classical MAOIs still available for clinical use in the treatment of psychiatric disorders in the United States, though it is not as commonly employed in comparison to the others.

Isocarboxazid is primarily used to treat mood and anxiety disorders. It has also been investigated in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and other dementia-related disorders. Although efficacious, isocarboxazid produces many side effects, which may include headaches, jaundice, chest pain, weight gain, orthostatic hypotension, fainting, dizziness, and tremors. Isocarboxazid, as well as other MAOIs, increase the levels of the monoamine neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the brain.

Classical MAOIs, including isocarboxazid, are used only very rarely in the present day due to prominent food and drug interactions and have been largely superseded by newer, safer, and more tolerable antidepressants such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The cause of the interactions is because MAOIs inhibit the metabolism of dietary amines (e.g., tyramine) and the monoamine neurotransmitters. In combination with other drugs that increase the levels of the monoamine neurotransmitters such as the SSRIs, or with certain foods high in dietary amines such as aged cheeses, MAOIs can produce dangerous elevations of monoamine neurotransmitters resulting in potentially life-threatening syndromes such as hypertensive crisis and serotonin syndrome.

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Wikipedia