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buspirone vs tranylcypromine

Side-by-side comparison of buspirone and tranylcypromine. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

moderate Known Drug Interaction

Product Clinical Comment on Concomitant Use [See Contraindications (4.1)] ; Predominant Effect/Risk [Hypertensive Reaction (HR) [See Warnings and Precautions (5.3)] ; or Serotonin Syndrome (SS) [See Warnings and Precautions (5.7)] ] Altretamine Use with caution If not otherwise specified in this table, consider avoiding concomitant use (see also information on medication-free intervals , use agent at the lowest appropriate dose, monitor for effects of the interaction, advise the patient to report potential effects, and be prepared to discontinue the agent and treat effects of the...

Recommendation: You should generally avoid taking these two medications together to prevent severe and life-threatening side effects.

Drug Class
buspirone Azapirone Anxiolytic
tranylcypromine Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI)
Type
buspirone Prescription
tranylcypromine Prescription
Summary
buspirone

Buspirone is a medicine that can help manage anxiety disorders. It can also provide short-term relief from anxiety symptoms.

tranylcypromine

Tranylcypromine (Parnate) is a medicine used to treat major depression in adults. It is used when other antidepressants have not worked well enough.

What It Treats
buspirone

Buspirone is used to manage anxiety disorders. It can also help relieve anxiety symptoms for a short time. This medicine is often used for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), which involves constant worry and tension.

tranylcypromine

Tranylcypromine is used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. You should only use it if other antidepressants haven't helped. It is not for the first treatment of depression because it can cause serious side effects and has many drug and food interactions.

How It Works
buspirone

Buspirone affects certain chemicals in your brain that may be unbalanced. This helps to reduce anxiety. It is different from other anxiety medicines like benzodiazepines.

tranylcypromine

Tranylcypromine belongs to a class of drugs called MAO inhibitors. It works by increasing the levels of certain chemicals in your brain. These chemicals can help improve your mood.

Common Side Effects
buspirone
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Nervousness
  • Lightheadedness
tranylcypromine
  • Dry mouth
  • Dizziness
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Feeling sleepy
  • Headache
FAERS Reports
buspirone
  • Tiredness 759
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 744
  • Head pain 675
  • Worry 636
  • Aches 541
tranylcypromine
  • Interaction between medicines 68
  • Feeling sad or hopeless 36
  • Too much serotonin in the body 27
  • Head pain 24
  • High blood pressure 24
Serious Warnings
buspirone

You should not take buspirone if you are taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) antidepressant or have taken one in the past 14 days. Do not start buspirone if you are being treated with linezolid or intravenous methylene blue because of the risk of serotonin syndrome. Serotonin syndrome is a very serious condition.

tranylcypromine

Tranylcypromine can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in young adults. It can also cause a dangerous increase in blood pressure if you eat foods high in tyramine or take certain medicines. Make sure to follow all food and drug restrictions.

Pregnancy
buspirone

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. It is not known if buspirone will harm your unborn baby. Buspirone may pass into breast milk.

tranylcypromine

There is limited information about the safety of tranylcypromine during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not recommended to breastfeed while taking this medicine because it can harm the baby.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

Compare tranylcypromine with

How to Read This buspirone vs tranylcypromine Comparison

buspirone is classified in the Azapirone Anxiolytic drug class, while tranylcypromine 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, buspirone has 3,355 submissions while tranylcypromine has 179. 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 moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to combining these medications can cause a dangerous spike in blood pressure or a serious condition called serotonin syndrome.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between buspirone and tranylcypromine - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.