Phenelzine and Rasagiline interaction
Phenelzine and Rasagiline: both prescribing labels flag this combination with the strongest language, such as a contraindication, a boxed warning, or an instruction to avoid it.
Do not combine without a prescriber's guidance. The label language below is the strongest FDA uses.
What the FDA labels say
From the Phenelzine (phenelzine sulfate) label · effective 2026-05-21
Phenelzine sulfate should not be administered together with or in rapid succession to other MAO inhibitors because HYPERTENSIVE CRISES and convulsive seizures, fever, marked sweating, excitation, delirium, tremor, coma, and circulatory collapse may occur.
At least 14 days should elapse between the discontinuation of phenelzine sulfate and the institution of another antidepressant or buspirone HCl, or the discontinuation of another MAO inhibitor and the institution of phenelzine sulfate.
From the Rasagiline label · effective 2020-06-30
John’s wort, cyclobenzaprine, or another (selective or non-selective) MAO inhibitor ( 4 )
May cause serotonin syndrome when used with antidepressants ( 5.2 )
Serotonin Syndrome Serotonin syndrome has been reported with concomitant use of an antidepressant (e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors-SSRIs, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors-SNRIs, tricyclic antidepressants, tetracyclic antidepressants, triazolopyridine antidepressants) and a nonselective MAOI (e.g., phenelzine, tranylcypromine) or selective…
In the postmarketing period, potentially life-threatening serotonin syndrome has been reported in patients treated with antidepressants concomitantly with rasagiline.
Concomitant use of rasagiline with one of many classes of antidepressants (e.g., SSRIs, SNRIs, triazolopyridine, tricyclic or tetracyclic antidepressants) is not recommended [see Drug Interactions ( 7.5 )].
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Open in the checkerNot medical advice. Interaction Checker quotes FDA label text and NIH fact sheets. Whether an interaction matters for you depends on doses, timing, kidney and liver function, and other conditions. Confirm with a pharmacist or prescriber.