Jeffrey Panko NP Psychiatry · Patient education
Moclobemide
Manerix / International reversible MAO-A inhibitor
A guide for adults taking moclobemide.
Follow the directions on your prescription and your provider's recommendations.
Formulations: Oral tablets are taken in divided doses at the end of meals. Follow the country-specific formulation and prescribed schedule.
What it is used for
Moclobemide treats depression and, under some country labels, social anxiety disorder. It is not FDA-approved. This guide uses UK labeling.
How it works
It reversibly inhibits monoamine oxidase A, reducing breakdown of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Its interactions differ from irreversible MAOIs but remain clinically important.
What to expect over time
Sleep, energy, or appetite may change before mood improves. Benefit usually builds over several weeks; some conditions need a longer trial at a useful dose.
Track the symptoms you are treating and how you manage daily activities. Keep follow-up appointments. Schedule an earlier appointment if your mood gets worse.
Taking your medication
- Take at the end of a meal with water.
- If you miss a dose, take it when you remember unless it is almost time for the next dose. Then skip it. Do not double a dose.
- Check every new medicine, cough remedy, and supplement before taking it.
- Consult with your provider before stopping or switching antidepressants.
When to get help
Emergency symptoms. Get emergency care for sudden severe headache, chest pain, a pounding heartbeat, or visual changes. Fever with confusion, agitation, and muscle rigidity may be serotonin syndrome.
Prompt medical advice. Contact your provider right away for marked agitation, new hallucinations, or unusually high energy with very little need for sleep.
If you feel unsafe or have thoughts of self-harm, call 911 or go to an emergency department.
Possible side effects
- Nausea, headache, or dizziness
- Sleep disturbance or agitation
- Dry mouth or low blood pressure
Keeping track of treatment
Some side effects resolve with time; others may require a change of medication. Discuss persistent or bothersome side effects with your provider.
Antidepressants can increase suicidal thoughts in people under 25. Watch for changes in mood or behavior at any age, especially when starting treatment or changing a dose.
Tell your provider about emotional numbness, unusual agitation, or a reduced need for sleep with increased energy. These changes may call for a treatment adjustment.
If you take too much
For a suspected overdose, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 immediately, even if you feel well. Call 911 for a seizure, collapse, trouble breathing, or inability to wake.
Before you start
Discuss any history of mania or bipolar disorder, seizures, heart disease, glaucoma, and kidney or liver problems.
Discuss pregnancy, pregnancy plans, and breastfeeding with your provider. Treatment decisions should consider both the medication and the condition being treated.
Discuss liver impairment, a pheochromocytoma, or an acute confusional state. Liver impairment can require a substantially lower dose.
Medicines and interactions
Review all your medications with your provider, including over-the-counter medicines and supplements. Have new medications checked before taking them.
Do not combine with other MAOIs or incompatible serotonergic medicines, including many antidepressants, tramadol, dextromethorphan, and linezolid.
Switching intervals depend on the other medicine. Fluoxetine may require a prolonged washout; do not apply another MAOI’s schedule yourself.
Everyday tips
A regular dose time and refill reminder can help prevent missed doses.
Bring a few specific observations to appointments: sleep, motivation, anxiety, and activities that have become easier or harder.
Your questions answered
Do I need the same diet as with phenelzine?
Usually not. UK labeling advises avoiding large amounts of tyramine-rich foods rather than the full irreversible-MAOI diet. Follow your own written diet guidance.
Are cold remedies safe?
Some are not. Have ingredients checked, particularly decongestants and dextromethorphan.
Storage and safety
Keep medication in its labeled container, away from excess heat and moisture and out of reach of children and pets. Do not share it. Ask a pharmacy about disposal of unused medication.
Sources
About this information
Educational handout; does not replace your prescription or provider's recommendations.
Educational inclusion does not mean this medication or its indications are treated at this practice. Review the guide for your exact product with your prescriber or pharmacist.