Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 820788

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Anyone tried 'Rasagiline' for depression?

Posted by Widgetry on March 30, 2008, at 20:49:10

Im getting sicker and sicker I think my Selegiline (prescribed for off-label use of my death-defying depression) is causing a cascade of symptoms rivaling "Serotonin Syndrome (and mimicking symptoms I experienced 20 some years ago as a result of Industrial Chemical Exposure).

After much reading ... I thought I was onto ... "hope" when I started reading about "Rasagiline" ... thinking that ... as Selegiline is a Perkinson's drug that can be used "off label" for depression ... why can't "Ragagiline" (which is the "new" Perkinson's drug) be used "off label" for depression. Before you say it yes this was rather simple/wishful thinking on my part.

Where I've run into trouble is around the issue of MAO-A & MAO-B inhibitors. From reading the following link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3148140

It states:

MAO-A inhibitors are effective therapeutic agents in treating depression
MAO-B inhibitors are of questionable antidepressant efficacy

"Rasagiline is an investigational selective and irreversible inhibitor of MAO-B that has demonstrated efficacy and safety for the treatment of PD. Whether rasagiline is associated with clinically significant neuroprotection is the subject of ongoing clinical trials

Two questions:

- If a drug does not target MAO-A inhibitors will it not work as an anti-depressant?

- Has anyone out there tried Rasagiline as an off-label anti-depressant?

Thanks for your time.

Re: Anyone tried 'Rasagiline' for depression?

Posted by undopaminergic on March 31, 2008, at 0:06:40

In reply to Anyone tried 'Rasagiline' for depression?, posted by Widgetry on March 30, 2008, at 20:49:10

No, I haven't tried rasagiline. Like selegiline, rasagiline is a MAO-B inhibitor, but unlike selegiline, it's not metabolised into amphetamines.

No, inhibiting only MAO-B is probably not sufficient - it's also necessary to inhibit a considerable percentage of MAO-A. This can be done by using higher doses of selegiline or rasagiline. However, that means you will need to avoid foods and beverages that are MAOI-incompatible.

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