Isocarboxazid is an irreversible and nonselective

Functional Selectivity

Functional selectivity is the ligand-dependent selectivity for certain signal transduction pathways in one and the same receptor. This can be present when a receptor has several possible signal transduction pathways...

 monoamine oxidase inhibitor

Monoamine oxidase inhibitor

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are a class of antidepressant drugs prescribed for the treatment of depression. They are particularly effective in treating atypical depression....

 (MAOI) of the hydrazine

Hydrazine

Hydrazine is an inorganic compound with the formula N2H4. It is a colourless flammable liquid with an ammonia-like odor. Hydrazine is highly toxic and dangerously unstable unless handled in solution. Approximately 260,000 tons are manufactured annually...

 chemical class used as an antidepressant

Antidepressant

An antidepressant is a psychiatric medication used to alleviate mood disorders, such as major depression and dysthymia and anxiety disorders such as social anxiety disorder. According to Gelder, Mayou &*Geddes people with a depressive illness will experience a therapeutic effect to their mood;...

 and anxiolytic

Anxiolytic

An anxiolytic is a drug used for the treatment of anxiety, and its related psychological and physical symptoms...

. It is one of the few hydrazine MAOIs still in clinical use, along with phenelzine

Phenelzine

Phenelzine is a non-selective and irreversible monoamine oxidase inhibitor of the hydrazine class which is used as an antidepressant and anxiolytic...

.

Isocarboxazid is used to combat numerous medical problems, such as: depression, social anxiety

Social anxiety

Social anxiety is anxiety about social situations, interactions with others, and being evaluated or scrutinized by other people...

, panic disorder

Panic disorder

Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurring severe panic attacks. It may also include significant behavioral change lasting at least a month and of ongoing worry about the implications or concern about having other attacks. The latter are called anticipatory attacks...

 and also is in the process of becoming a medication to aid in the fight against Parkinson’s and other dementia-related disorders [2]. Although medicinally helpful to people in need, Isocarboxazid has many side effects, including: headaches, jaundice

Jaundice

Jaundice is a yellowish pigmentation of the skin, the conjunctival membranes over the sclerae , and other mucous membranes caused by hyperbilirubinemia . This hyperbilirubinemia subsequently causes increased levels of bilirubin in the extracellular fluid...

, chest pain, rapid swelling and weight gain, fainting, dizziness and tremors [2]. Isocarboxazid is from a class of medications called Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs). MAOIs, Isocarboxazid included, increase the levels of biogenic amine neurotransmitters found within the brain and also increase the availability of these neurotransmitters [2].

Isocarboxazid is not used as frequently as other medications for depression and anxiety because it is extremely powerful and also reacts to certain foods, such as tyramine

Tyramine

Tyramine is a naturally occurring monoamine compound and trace amine derived from the amino acid tyrosine. Tyramine acts as a catecholamine releasing agent...

, because it inhibits the catabolism of dietary amines found within everyday foods [2]. Isocarboxazid and other MAOIs are often looked at as a “last resort” medication due to their reactions to foods and powerful contents. It has been used off-label to treat depersonalization disorder

Depersonalization disorder

Depersonalization disorder is a dissociative disorder in which the sufferer is affected by persistent or recurrent feelings of depersonalization and/or derealization. Diagnostic criteria include persistent or recurrent experiences of feeling detached from one's mental processes or body...

.

Chemistry

See the following for synthesis directions:

• R.E. Tedeschi, (1961).