Is ibuprofen an MAOI?
No. Ibuprofen is not a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). It is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to reduce pain, fever, and inflammation. MAOIs are a separate class of antidepressants that block monoamine oxidase enzymes.
What drugs are actually MAOIs?
MAOIs include older antidepressants such as:
- phenelzine
- tranylcypromine
- isocarboxazid
- moclobemide (a reversible MAOI)
Ibuprofen does not work like these drugs and is not known to inhibit MAO enzymes.
Is there any interaction risk between ibuprofen and MAOIs?
The key “dangerous interaction” most people worry about is when MAOIs are combined with certain medications and foods. Ibuprofen is not in the category of drugs typically highlighted for MAOI-specific interaction risks. Still, patients on MAOIs should follow their clinician’s medication guidance and avoid adding new drugs without checking for individual risks (for example, stomach bleeding risk is a general concern with NSAIDs).
Why do people confuse NSAIDs with MAOIs?
Some confusion can come from broad “drug interaction” searching online or from thinking that any medication affecting neurotransmitters must be an MAOI. But ibuprofen’s mechanism is through COX inhibition (NSAID effect), not monoamine oxidase inhibition.
If you’re asking because of an antidepressant: which one?
If you tell me the MAOI (or antidepressant) you’re taking and the exact ibuprofen dose/frequency, I can help you check the specific interaction concerns that apply to that combination.