Posted by Adam on November 8, 1999, at 17:10:31
In reply to Re: reversible chemical distinctions?, posted by Elizabeth on November 8, 1999, at 0:22:43
> > Irreversible monoamine oxidase inhibitors (sometimes referred to as suicide monoamine oxidase inhibitors)
>
> I understand where this nickname comes from, but don't you think it's just a *little* bit tasteless?Yes, it is more than a little tasteless. Sorry! I didn't mean to bring up the "S" word in a cavalier fashion.
I guess non-depressed biochemists think it's just fine.
>
> I've occasionally heard tranylcypromine referred to as "semi-reversible" (or something like that). Any idea what that's supposed to mean?I saw that too, and no, I don't know what it means. Most of what I know about the chemical interactions of these
irreversibles with MAOI I found in an old extract on the metabolism of phenelzine by MAO-A, and assumed the situation
was analogous for the others. I couldn't find really specific references to tranylcypromine's interaction, which
stinks since it is the one I'm most interested (heck, I'll probably be on it in a few months). I can only assume,
as you surely have, that binding to MAO doesn't always lead to an unbreakable bond being formed, and that it can
sometimes pop off. How that might happen I haven't a clue.
poster:Adam
thread:13758
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19991108/msgs/14825.html