GHB and MAOI ?

[goahead]

Anybody experienced with GHB and MAOI(A)/MAOI(B) interactions?
Personally (while not being a regular smoker) I experienced that smoking a cigarette ten minutes after ingesting GHB really potentiates the GHB high. Later I have read that cigarettes contain some weak reversible maoi substances .
Could it be that the very dangerous combination of Alcohol + GHB is somehow MAOI related ?
Anyone tried GHB with strong MAOI like Syrian Rue, Tricyclics etc?

 

[fairnymph]

GHB stimulates the GABA receptors in your brain, thereby inhibiting (decreasing) dopamine release (although some studies have found that GHB stimulates a small amount of dopamine release as well).
If you are on a MAOI type B (see my recreational drug FAQ in the Health forum), then you should be more sensitive to GHB, but I could not find any studies that discuss the combination.
If you are on a MAOI type A, there shouldn't be much of an effect.
You are correct about cigarettes having mild MAOI like activities -- see:
Hauptmann N. Shih JC. 2-Naphthylamine, a compound found in cigarette smoke, decreases both monoamine oxidase A and B catalytic activity. [Journal Article] Life Sciences. 68(11):1231-41, 2001 Feb 2.
Trycyclics are NOT MAOIs.
If you do try the combo, please be careful (dose low!) and email me/update your post telling us how it worked out.
[ 02 April 2002: Message edited by: fairnymph ]