Monoamine oxidase inhibitor

Monoamine oxidase inhibitor
Drug class
Ribbon diagram of human monoamine oxidase B, from PDB: 1GOS​
Class identifiers
Synonyms	MAOI, RIMA
Use	Treatment of major depressive disorder, atypical depression, Parkinson's disease, and several other disorders
ATC code	N06AF
Mechanism of action	Enzyme inhibitor
Biological target	Monoamine oxidase enzymes: MAO-A and/or MAO-B
External links
MeSH	D008996
Legal status
In Wikidata

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are a class of drugs that inhibit the activity of one or both monoamine oxidase enzymes: monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) and monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B). They are best known as effective antidepressants, especially for treatment-resistant depression and atypical depression.^[1] They are also used to treat panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, Parkinson's disease, and several other disorders.

Reversible inhibitors of monoamine oxidase A (RIMAs) are a subclass of MAOIs that selectively and reversibly inhibit the MAO-A enzyme. RIMAs are used clinically in the treatment of depression and dysthymia. Due to their reversibility, they are safer in single-drug overdose than the older, irreversible MAOIs,^[2] and weaker in increasing the monoamines important in depressive disorder.^[3] RIMAs have not gained widespread market share in the United States.