Phenelzine: uses, risks and side effects of this antidepressant

This psychopharmaceutical belonging to the group of MAOIs is one of the first antidepressants.

Currently, antidepressants are used worldwide to treat depression in particular. This use has increased over the years, although at the beginning only MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors), the first antidepressants to be synthesized, were used.

Here we will learn about phenelzine, an Antidepressant of the MAOI group.. We will see how it acts, its most important characteristics, as well as its therapeutic indications.

Phenelzine: MAOI antidepressant

As we have seen, phenelzine is an antidepressant belonging to the group of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). It is a non-selective MAOI, i.e., it inhibits both type A and type B monoamine oxidases.. Monoamine oxidases are enzymes that degrade neurotransmitter-amines (serotonin and noradrenaline).

Phenelzine is considered the first commercially available antidepressant. On the other hand, although MAOIs have been replaced by other more modern drugs in most cases, their pharmacological action makes them still the most effective in the treatment of attentive depressions. the treatment of atypical depressions, e.g.. It is also effective in those cases where other medications have not produced results, and in intense anxiety.

Phenelzine is marketed in the form of tablets to be taken orally.

Mechanism of action

This antidepressant works by increasing the amount of certain natural substances that are necessary to maintain mental balance.. Specifically, they act by blocking the action of the enzyme monoamine oxidase. This enzyme degrades serotonin and noradrenaline; when it is degraded, its action is interrupted, and therefore the amount of serotonin (SA) and noradrenaline (NA) in the brain increases.

Both SA and NA have been directly related to depression.people with depression tend to have lower levels of these neurotransmitters.

Therapeutic indications

Phenelzine is mainly used to treat depression in people who have not responded to other medications, such as atypical depression (whose symptoms are hypersomnia, hypersensitivity, increased appetite, extreme tiredness and marked anxiety).

On the other hand, it is also indicated for anxiety, bulimia and social phobia..

Side effects

Some of the side or adverse effects of phenelzine are:

• Drowsiness (sleepiness).
• Weakness.
• Dizziness.
• Dry mouth.
• Constipation.
• weight gain
• Decreased sexual ability.
• uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body.
• Muscle stiffness or spasms.

Suicidal tendencies with this drug

It should be noted that during clinical studies of phenelzine, a small number of children, adolescents and young adults (up to 24 years of age) taking antidepressants such as phenelzine were suicidal. These translated into thoughts of harming or killing oneself, planning to do so, or attempting to do so..

These suicidal tendencies appeared in phenelzine as well as in many other antidepressants. Thus, it is known that children, adolescents and young adults who take antidepressants to treat depression or other mental disorders are more likely to have suicidal thoughts than those who do not take antidepressants to treat such conditions.

However, experts do not know exactly what the risk of taking antidepressants is, nor to what extent we should consider this likelihood of suicidal tendenciesand to what extent we should consider this likelihood of suicidal tendencies in the case of a child or adolescent who must take antidepressants.

In any case, children under 18 years of age should not regularly take phenelzine, although in some cases, the physician may decide that phenelzine is the best option.

Bibliographic references:

• Phenelzine. NIH MedlinePlus Health [Internet]. 2017; Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/druginfo/meds/a682089-es.html. English, Spanish.
• www.vademecum.es.
• www.psicologiaymente.com.