Selegiline

ID: selegiline

Aliases: L-deprenyl, EMSAM

Type: compound

Route/form: oral/transdermal depending product

Status: approved

Evidence level: approved / labelled

Best data tier: approved label

Support scope: human, review/regulatory

Source types: label, review

Linked sources: 3

Broad outcomes: Brain / mood / sleep

Reading note: These are curation notes anchored to linked sources, not a clinical recommendation or protocol.

Targets / mechanism

• irreversible MAO-B inhibitor
• MAO-A inhibition at higher exposures

Optimization domains

• Parkinsons
• depression
• MAOI

Research basis

• Selegiline has approved oral Parkinson and transdermal depression contexts, making it the cleanest practical MAO-B anchor in the repository.
• Route matters: oral low-dose MAO-B selectivity and transdermal antidepressant MAOI exposure have different interaction and tyramine-risk profiles.
• It is relevant to optimization discussions because dopamine, energy, libido, mood, and stimulant-combination narratives often converge on MAO-B inhibition.

Limits, risks, and missing evidence

• MAOI interaction risk is serious, especially with SSRIs, clomipramine, trazodone, stimulants, dextromethorphan, opioids, sympathomimetics, and some foods depending on dose/route.
• Insomnia, anxiety, orthostasis, hypertensive reactions, serotonin toxicity, and amphetamine-like metabolites can matter.
• Using it as a casual nootropic or stimulant potentiator is a poor risk frame.

Risk flags

• approved drug
• maoi
• route dependent
• serotonin toxicity
• hypertensive crisis
• interaction risk

Linked papers, labels, and reviews

1. Transdermal selegiline for the treatment of major depressive disorder
   review / pubmed_selegiline_transdermal_2009
   Selegiline transdermal system and MAOI dietary interaction context.
2. FDA label for selegiline hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets
   label / fda_selegiline_label
   Official drug label.
3. DailyMed label: EMSAM selegiline transdermal system
   label / dailymed_emsam_label
   Official label for transdermal selegiline in major depressive disorder; useful for route-dependent MAOI risk.