Absence of acute cocaine interactions with the MAO-B inhibitor selegiline

Abstract

Selegiline, an irreversible monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) inhibitor, is under investigation as a treatment for cocaine relapse prevention. To evaluate its safety, human volunteers (n = 5) received intravenous cocaine (0, 20 and 40 mg, 1 h apart) following treatment with placebo or selegiline (10 mg, p.o.). Cocaine increased heart rate, blood pressure, pupil diameter and subjective indices of euphoria and craving. Selegiline produced no measureable effects, except for miosis, and did not alter the effects of cocaine. These data suggest that selegiline may be safely administered in combination with cocaine, and that selegiline is unlikely to increase reinforcing effects of cocaine.