desvenlafaxine vs selegiline

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Side-by-side comparison of desvenlafaxine and selegiline. 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

Examples selegiline, tranylcypromine, isocarboxazid, phenelzine, linezolid, methylene blue Other Serotonergic Drugs Clinical Impact Concomitant use of PRISTIQ with other serotonergic drugs increases the risk of serotonin syndrome.

Drug Class
desvenlafaxine Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor (SNRI)
selegiline Selective MAO-B Inhibitor
Type
desvenlafaxine Prescription
selegiline Prescription
Summary
desvenlafaxine

Pristiq is a medicine used to treat depression in adults. It belongs to a class of drugs called serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).

selegiline

Selegiline is a medicine that can help manage Parkinson's disease. It is used along with levodopa/carbidopa when that medicine is not working as well as it used to.

What It Treats
desvenlafaxine

Pristiq is used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. MDD can cause you to feel sad, lose interest in activities, and have trouble with daily life. This medicine can help improve your mood and energy levels.

selegiline

Selegiline is used to help people with Parkinson's disease. It's for those who are already taking levodopa/carbidopa. Selegiline can help when their response to levodopa/carbidopa starts to weaken. It can reduce 'off' time and improve movement.

How It Works
desvenlafaxine

Pristiq works by affecting certain chemicals in the brain. It increases the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine. These chemicals help regulate mood and can improve symptoms of depression.

selegiline

Selegiline is a selective MAO-B inhibitor. It works by blocking an enzyme in the brain that breaks down dopamine. This helps to increase the amount of dopamine available, which can improve motor control in Parkinson's disease.

Common Side Effects
desvenlafaxine
  • Feeling sick to your stomach
  • Feeling dizzy
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Increased sweating
  • Constipation
selegiline
  • Nausea
  • Dizziness
  • Light-headedness
  • Fainting
  • Abdominal pain
FAERS Reports
desvenlafaxine
  • Toxicity To Various Agents 233
  • Nausea 206
  • Completed Suicide 186
  • Anxiety 180
  • Overdose 174
selegiline
  • Insomnia 184
  • Application Site Erythema 183
  • Dizziness 168
  • Hallucination 166
  • Fall 137
Serious Warnings
desvenlafaxine

Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, adolescents, and young adults. If you are started on Pristiq, your doctor will monitor you closely for worsening depression or suicidal thoughts. Families and caregivers should also watch for these changes.

selegiline

Taking selegiline with meperidine (Demerol) is dangerous and can cause serious reactions. Also, use caution when taking selegiline with tricyclic antidepressants or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) due to the risk of severe toxicity. One patient had a hypertensive crisis when taking selegiline with a sympathomimetic medicine (ephedrine).

Pregnancy
desvenlafaxine

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Taking Pristiq late in pregnancy may cause problems in the newborn. There is a pregnancy registry to monitor outcomes in women exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy. You can register by calling 1-844-405-6185.

selegiline

It is not known if selegiline can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if selegiline passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This desvenlafaxine vs selegiline Comparison

desvenlafaxine is classified in the Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor (SNRI) drug class, while selegiline sits within the Selective MAO-B Inhibitor 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, desvenlafaxine has 979 submissions while selegiline has 838. 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 these medications both raise serotonin levels in your body. combining them can lead to too much serotonin, which can cause a dangerous reaction.. 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 desvenlafaxine or selegiline.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.