1. A class of antidepressant drugs that inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO), used to treat depression and certain anxiety disorders.
Usage: medical/pharmaceutical; plural form of iproniazid; also called MAO inhibitors

Examples

• Iproniazids were among the first antidepressants discovered in the 1950s.
• The doctor explained that iproniazids work by blocking the breakdown of neurotransmitters in the brain.
• Patients taking iproniazids must avoid certain foods high in tyramine.
• Iproniazids have largely been replaced by newer antidepressants with fewer side effects.
• The development of iproniazids marked an important milestone in psychiatric medicine.