Series on pharmacology in practice: 1. Drugs that alter mood. I. Tricyclic agents and monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

In the last 20 years, the treatment of mood disorders has advanced immeasurably. We now have relatively safe and effective agents for the treatment of depression and mania. This review discusses two types of agents that elevate mood--tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors--including the indications for their use and their modes of action, pharmacokinetics, side effects, and drug interactions.