buprenorphine (pain) vs phenelzine
According to this portal's Publishing Organization, this page was last reviewed in August 2026 against our methodology. Figures and extracts on this site, including tables above 1,000 rows when the corpus is that large, are the publisher's responsibility.
Side-by-side comparison of buprenorphine (pain) and phenelzine. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
Examples: phenelzine, tranylcypromine, linezolid Mixed Agonist/Antagonist and Partial Agonist Opioid Analgesics Clinical Impact: May reduce the analgesic effect of BELBUCA and/or precipitate withdrawal symptoms.
Belbuca, Butrans
Nardil
Belbuca is a medicine used to treat severe, long-lasting pain. It contains buprenorphine, a type of opioid pain reliever.
Phenelzine (Nardil) is a medicine used to treat depression. It belongs to a class of drugs called MAO inhibitors.
Belbuca is used to manage severe, ongoing pain that needs an opioid medicine. It is for pain that cannot be well-treated with other options, like immediate-release opioids. Because of the risks of addiction, abuse, misuse, overdose, and death, Belbuca should only be used if other treatments don't work, aren't tolerated, or aren't enough to manage your pain.
This medicine treats depression, especially when it involves anxiety, phobias, or hypochondria. It is often used when other antidepressants haven't worked. It may not be as effective for severe depression with 'endogenous' features.
Belbuca contains buprenorphine, which is a partial opioid agonist. It works by attaching to certain receptors in the brain and body. This helps to decrease the feeling of pain.
Phenelzine works by blocking an enzyme called monoamine oxidase (MAO) in your body. MAO breaks down certain chemicals in the brain, like serotonin and norepinephrine. By blocking MAO, phenelzine helps increase the levels of these chemicals, which can improve mood.
- • Nausea
- • Constipation
- • Headache
- • Vomiting
- • Dizziness
- • Dizziness
- • Headache
- • Drowsiness
- • Trouble sleeping
- • Tiredness
No adverse event reports.
- Depression 187
- Headache 136
- Anxiety 129
- Weight Increased 120
- Insomnia 104
Belbuca can lead to addiction, abuse, and misuse, which can result in overdose and death. It can also cause serious, life-threatening breathing problems, especially when you first start taking it or after a dose increase. Accidental exposure, especially in children, can be fatal. Taking Belbuca with benzodiazepines (like Xanax or Valium) or other depressants (including alcohol) can cause severe sleepiness, breathing problems, coma, and death. If you are pregnant and use Belbuca for a long time, your baby could have withdrawal symptoms after birth.
Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior in children, teens, and young adults. Your doctor will monitor you closely for worsening depression, suicidal thoughts, or unusual changes in behavior. Families and caregivers should also watch for these changes and report them to the doctor. This medicine is not approved for use in children.
Using Belbuca for a long time during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Breastfeeding is not recommended while using Belbuca.
It is not known if phenelzine can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Also Compare, Nearby Drugs
Compare buprenorphine (pain) with
Compare phenelzine with
How to Read This buprenorphine (pain) vs phenelzine Comparison
buprenorphine (pain) is classified in the Partial Opioid Agonist drug class, while phenelzine sits within the Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, buprenorphine (pain) has 0 submissions while phenelzine has 676. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to these drugs can interfere with each other, making the pain medicine less effective and potentially causing sudden withdrawal symptoms.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for buprenorphine (pain) or phenelzine.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.