What are MAO Inhibitors?

Many sources warn of combining MAO Inhibitors with other psychoactive compounds. This chapter explains what they are and what reasons exist to be careful.

Definitions:

MAO: is the abbreviation for MonoAminoOxidase. This is an enzyme that is responsible for the metabolisation (by oxidative deamination) of organic amines in the body. If this enzyme isn’t present, toxic amines – ingested with food or produced by the body – can’t be metabolized

MAO-Inhibitors: are substances which selectively inhibit monoaminooxidase (MAO), that is they prevent them from doing their job.

Effects of MAO-Inhibitors:

According to the definition, MAO-Inhibitors can have lethal consequences when they are consumed together with large amounts of amines (for example with certain foods or medications). For this reason extreme caution is urged when using MAO-Inhibitors. The following list shows what shouldn’t be ingested together with MAO-Inhibitors:

- Tranquillizers, narcotics
- Many antihistamines (anti-allergy medications)
- Alcohol, ephedrine, amphetamines, b-phenethylamines
- Asarone (contained in Acorus calamus roots) or nutmeg
- Dill, parsley, fennel oil (small amounts used as spice are harmless)
- Caffeine containing substances (Cola, Coffee, tea, cocoa, guarana...)
- cheese
- Bananas and Pineapples
- Tyrosine containing foods (fish, liver, Chianti wine...)

The lists shows that many things cannot be used with MAO Inhibitors. Anybody who’s contemplating their use should inform himself very well about the possible risks.

It is possible to increase the duration and potency of certain psychoactive substances by combining them with MAO Inhibitors. For example some indian tribes use Harmine containing plants along with others to prepare a psychoactive beverage. Since harmine is a MAO-Inhibitor the indians prepare themselves for the ritual by not eating fish or other amine-containing foods during the weeks preceding the ritual. It is remarkable that primitive cultures without knowledge of chemistry or pharmacology have discovered how to use this combination. Another application of MAO-Inhibitors is the combination of Harmaline with DMT. Ingested orally DMT is inactive since it is destroyed by monoaminooxidase before it can reach the brain. Harmaline is ingested before to activate the DMT.

Some MAO-Inhibitors:

o Asarone
o Harmine, Harmaline, Harmalol
o Macromerine
o Nutmeg
o several Tryptamines and Yohimbine

Conclusion:

The human organism possesses an enzyme-system called Mono Amino Oxidase which is responsible for the metabolisation of amines. MAO-Inhibitors block their function which means that amines cannot be decomposed once they are in the body. Ingesting MAO-Inhibitors is risky because the unmetabolized amines could exhibit toxic effects. It is extremely important that anybody contemplating the use of MAO-Inhibitors informs himself very well about the possible risks. At the same time the user must make sure that the psychoactive substance he plans to ingest is compatible with MAO-Inhibitors.

from the book "Psychedelische Chemie" , Autor: Daniel Traschel & Nicolas Richard