Comparative behavioral effects of clorgyline and pargyline in man: a preliminary evaluation

The antidepressant and other behavioral effects of clorgyline, a preferential inhibitor of monoamine oxidase (MAO) type A, were compared with those of pargyline, a preferential inhibitor of MAO type B, in 16 depressed patients. In a subgroup of more severely depressed patients, clorgyline treatment for 4 weeks resulted in significant improvement on both observer-rated and self-rated scales, while minimal changes occurred during pargyline treatment. Similarly, in a crossover study that included 8 patients examined with multiple scales, clorgyline had generally greater antidepressant and antianxiety effects than did pargyline, although pargyline had some activating effects and also tended to produce more side effects. MAO type A inhibition may be more important than MAO type B inhibition for antidepressant efficacy.