Educational only — not medical advice. If you’re in crisis or thinking about suicide: call or text 988 (U.S.) or your local emergency number. Support resources. Under construction and review—see the updates log.
Brand: Marplan
Published 2025-12-23 · Last reviewed 2025-12-30 · 4 references
Content sourced from FDA labeling (DailyMed) and peer-reviewed literature.
Isocarboxazid (brand Marplan) is an irreversible, nonselective monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) antidepressant indicated for major depressive disorder in adults who have not responded to other antidepressants (label).
MAOIs can be effective in some cases of treatment-resistant depression and atypical depression, but they have high-stakes drug and dietary interaction risks that shape patient selection and counseling (label/clinical).
The label states pharmacokinetic information is not available, so safety guidance centers on interaction avoidance, washout timing, and hypertensive crisis recognition rather than PK-based titration (label).
Because MAOI interactions can be life-threatening, many clinicians reserve isocarboxazid for settings that can provide written diet and interaction lists, confirm understanding, and offer rapid access for urgent symptoms (clinical).
The compare view, isocarboxazid evidence feed, and isocarboxazid print page support counseling and safety planning when an MAOI is being considered.
MAOIs are less commonly used than SSRIs/SNRIs because of dietary and drug interaction constraints. When an MAOI is selected, safety depends on meticulous medication reconciliation, clear written instructions, and timely recognition of hypertensive crisis or serotonin syndrome.
View labelExactRefer to the Glossary entry on Neurotransmitters for background on receptor systems involved in serious mental illness.
Irreversibly inhibits monoamine oxidase (MAO-A and MAO-B), increasing synaptic monoamines (serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine) (mechanism).
Because inhibition is irreversible, physiologic recovery requires new enzyme synthesis; interaction risk can persist after discontinuation, so washout planning is central to safe use (label/clinical).
Switching plans should document washout timing, especially with longer half-life agents like fluoxetine, to reduce severe interaction risk (label/clinical).