Drug Comparison
For educational purposes only — a decision-support tool, not a substitute for clinical judgment.
Side-by-side rubric across 96 psychiatric medications. Every rating traces to a verbatim primary-source quote — click any cell to see it.
How to read this tool ▾
Rating scale
– Favorable / lower than class baseline
± Minimal / equivocal
+ Low / uncommon
++ Moderate / common
+++ High / very common
++++ Very high / class-outlier
Frequency vs severity
F = frequency, S = severity. Each gets its own pill colored on the same traffic-light scale: green → blue → yellow → orange → red. Click any cell for incidence percentages and NNH.
Evidence tier
A Network meta-analysis / RCT / FDA label
B Cohort / registry / pooled label data
C Expert review / textbook / case series
Sourcing
Click any cell to see the verbatim source quote and citation. Missing data shows n/a.
Data depth
++ Graded — frequency + severity, primary-source traces
+ FDA label — §6 frequency only (dashed border). Click for sub-types.
Blank — not yet checked (not “absent”)
–±++++++++++ABCF = frequency · S = severity · Dashed border = FDA label only · Click cell for details
1 drug selected — Selegiline(click to collapse)
1/4 selected
Selegiline
Emsam · Eldepryl
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAO-B selective at low doses)
FDA-approved indications
- Parkinson's disease — adjunct to levodopa/carbidopa (adults)
Off-label uses
- ADHD
- Alzheimer's disease (adjunct)
Half-life10 hours (oral); 18 to 25 hours (transdermal)
Decision GuideWhen to pick each / when to consider an alternative
Selegiline
Consider when
- Dietary restriction non-adherence likely — EMSAM 6 mg/24h is the only MAOI without tyramine dietary modifications
- Weight gain or sexual dysfunction intolerable — EMSAM: mean 1.2 lbs loss; all SD rates ≤1%; best metabolic profile among MAOIs
- Transdermal delivery preferred — bypasses gut MAO-A; lower first-pass amphetamine metabolite load than oral selegiline
- Cannot take oral medications — only FDA-approved antidepressant for patients unable to ingest, tolerate, or absorb oral meds
- +1 more
Consider an alternative when
- Application-site skin sensitivity or eczema — reactions in 24% vs 12% placebo; leading discontinuation cause
- EMSAM dose >6 mg/24h required — dietary tyramine restrictions resume at 9 and 12 mg/24h; diet-exemption advantage lost
- On carbamazepine — unique contraindication (2× AUC increase of selegiline and metabolites); not shared by other MAOIs
- Severe treatment-resistant depression — less effective than oral MAOIs (phenelzine, tranylcypromine) for severe TRD per comparative data
- +1 more
| Axis | Selegiline MAOI |
|---|---|
| Boxed Warnings | |
Suicidality (boxed warning) | |
Mania / hypomania induction | |
Hypertensive crisis (tyramine/MAOI) | |
| CNS | |
Sedation / somnolence | |
Activation / insomnia | |
Seizure risk | |
| Metabolic | |
Weight gain | |
| Autonomic | |
Orthostatic hypotension | |
Sweating | |
| Cardiac | |
Blood pressure elevation | |
Heart rate / tachycardia | |
| GI | |
Nausea / GI (general) | |
| Hepatic | |
Liver enzymes / hepatotoxicity | |
| Local | |
Application/injection-site reactions | |
| Sexual | |
Sexual dysfunction | |
| Interactions | |
Serotonin syndrome risk | |
MAOI co-administration contraindication | |
CYP interactions / DDI profile | |
| Safety | |
Overdose toxicity | |
| Pregnancy | |
Lactation / breastfeeding safety | |