Methylene Blue Injection/MAOIs
Medical warning:
Severe. These medicines may interact and cause very harmful effects and are usually not taken together. Contact your healthcare professional (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) for more information.
How the interaction occurs:
Both of these medicines can increase the level of serotonin in your body.
What might happen:
High serotonin levels may cause changes in body temperature, blood pressure and behavior, leading to a medical condition called Serotonin Syndrome. Serotonin Syndrome may be life threatening.
What you should do about this interaction:
Make sure your healthcare professionals (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) know that you are taking these medicines together.If you experience muscle twitching, tremors, shivering and stiffness, fever, heavy sweating heart palpitations, restlessness, confusion, agitation, trouble with coordination, or severe diarrhea contact your doctor right away.Your healthcare professionals may already be aware of this interaction and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.
References:
1.USFood and Drug Administration. FDA Drug Safety Communication: Serious CNS reactions possible when methylene blue is given to patients taking certain psychiatric medications. available at: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm263190.htm July 26, 2011.
2.Ramsay RR, Dunford C, Gillman PK. Methylene blue and serotonin toxicity: inhibition of monoamine oxidase A (MAO A) confirms a theoretical prediction. Br J Pharmacol 2007 Nov;152(6):946-51.
3.Peter C, Hongwan D, Kupfer A, Lauterburg BH. Pharmacokinetics and organ distribution of intravenous and oral methylene blue. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2000 Jun;56(3):247-50.
4.Boyer EW, Shannon M. The serotonin syndrome. N Engl J Med 2005 Mar 17; 352(11):1112-20.
5.USFood and Drug Administration. FDA Drug Safety Communication: Updated information about the drug interaction between methylene blue (methylthioninium chloride) and serotonergic psychiatric medications. available at: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm276119.htm October 21, 2011.
6.USFood and Drug Administration. FDA Drug Safety Communication: Updated information about the drug interaction between linezolid (Zyvox) and serotonergic psychiatric medications. available at: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm276251.htm October 21, 2011.