Nature's Sunshine Products NSP

[CombinedNSP]

MAO Inhibitors

This is a category of antidepressant drugs, the most common ones being Nardil and Parnate. MAO stands for monomine oxidase.

When taking an MAO inhibitor, there are certain foods that can't be eaten, because they can cause a life-threatening rise in blood pressure. (Cheese is the biggest offender, along with other foods that have been fermented.) A number of prescription drugs, including any type of decongestant, will cause this reaction as well, so people on MAOI's are advised to wear a Med Alert bracelet.

This class of antidepressants isn't used nearly as frequently as Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, etc. However, these drugs help some people suffering from depression when none of the others are able to. Whenever someone is on one of these drugs, it is wise to take something to support the liver, such as milk thistle combo. Herbs that shouldn't be taken simultaneously with MAOI's are St. John's Wort (which is believed to have the same action, thereby causing an overdose), licorice, and ephedra. I've also read references indicating it might be wise to avoid hops and passion flower. -Deana Persson