Observations placeholder
Blood pressure tablets and cheese
Identifier
004261
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Pargyline (Eutonyl) is an irreversible non-selective monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor drug (IC50 for MAO-A is 0.01152micromol/L and for MAO-B is 0.00820micromol/L.) It was brought to market in the US and the UK by Abbott in 1963 as "Eutonyl" as an antihypertensive drug, and was one of several other MAO inhibitors brought to market in the 1960s, along with nialamide, isocarboxazid, phenelzine, and tranylcypromine.
As of 2007 the drug was discontinued and as of 2014 there were no generic versions in the US
A description of the experience
British medical journal 30th May 1964 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1814487/pdf/brmedj02630-0069a.pdf
SIR,-Pargyline hydrochloride (" eutonyl," Abbott) is an important new antihypertensive drug, recently introduced to clinical practice.
One of its advantages is that unlike many other antihypertensives it does not cause mental depression, and indeed in many patients there is a significant and desirable mood elevation produced by the drug.
Its, mode of action in lowering blood pressure is not understood, but its euphoriant effect is probably due to its being a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, and in the more recent literature issued by the manufacturers they advise that cheese, especially if aged or non-processed, is contraindicated with the drug.
I have lately seen a patient with moderate essential hypertension who because of various side-effects with other drugs was changed to pargyline, 25 mg. every morning; this gave satisfactory control and within a fortnight the patient volunteered that he felt much less depressed, but was having nightmares.
Inquiry produced the fact that he habitually ate one or two ounces (30-60 g.) of Cheddar cheese with his supper every evening. The nightmares were of a horrifying nature, and curiously they were concerned not with his immediate family or friends but with people such as his workmates, with whom he was not in any particular emotional relationship. He dreamt of one, terribly mutilated, hanging from a meat-hook. Another he dreamt of falling into a bottomless abyss, When cheese was withdrawn from his diet the nightmares ceased. I am, etc.,
Bulawayo, J. CHARLES SHEE.