• Metabolism: Hepatic. Half Life: 1.5-3.2 hours in patients with normal renal and hepatic function
• Uses/Sources: Primarily indicated for the treatment of clinical depression. It is generally used to remedy various types of mood and anxiety disorders, typically after a last resort only after conventional antidepressants have been tried without success. It also has some off-label uses, such as in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). [Wikipedia]
• Health Effects: Rare cases have been reported of hypertensive crisis, serotonin syndrome, myoclonus, hyperpyrexia, psychosis, and delirium, some of which progressed to coma. Additionally, in sensitive individuals or at extreme dosages, hypotension may lead to shock. [Wikipedia]
• Symptoms: In overdosage, some patients exhibit insomnia, restlessness and anxiety, progressing in severe cases to agitation, mental confusion and incoherence. Hypotension, dizziness, weakness and drowsiness may occur, progressing in severe cases to extreme dizziness and shock. A few patients have displayed hypertension with severe headache and other symptoms. Rare instances have been reported in which hypertension was accompanied by twitching or myoclonic fibrillation of skeletal muscles with hyperpyrexia, sometimes progressing to generalized rigidity and coma.
• Treatment: Treatment should normally consist of general supportive measures, close observation of vital signs and steps to counteract specific symptoms as they occur, since MAO inhibition may persist. External cooling is recommended if hyperpyrexia occurs. Barbiturates have been reported to help relieve myoclonic reactions, but frequency of administration should be controlled carefully because Tranylcypromine may prolong barbiturate activity. When hypotension requires treatment, the standard measures for managing circulatory shock should be initiated. If pressor agents are used, the rate of infusion should be regulated by careful observation of the patient because an exaggerated pressor response sometimes occurs in the presence of MAO inhibition. (L1712)
• Route of Exposure: Interindividual variability in absorption. May be biphasic in some individuals. Peak plasma concentrations occur in one hour following oral administration with a secondary peak occurring within 2-3 hours. Biphasic absorption may represent different rates of absorption of the stereoisomers of the drug, though additional studies are required to confirm this.

Tranylcypromine irreversibly and nonselectively inhibits monoamine oxidase (MAO). Within neurons, MAO appears to regulate the levels of monoamines released upon synaptic firing. Since depression is associated with low levels of monoamines, the inhibition of MAO serves to ease depressive symptoms, as this results in an increase in the concentrations of these amines within the CNS.