Drug & supplement interaction

Cola Nut + Moclobemide

Moclobemide brand names: Moclobemide, Manerix.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Cola Nut has a moderate interaction with Moclobemide. Theoretically, concomitant use might increase the risk of a hypertensive crisis.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Cola Nut and Moclobemide

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

MONOAMINE OXIDASE INHIBITORS (MAOIs)

Why this applies to Moclobemide

Moclobemide falls under MONOAMINE OXIDASE INHIBITORS (MAOIs) — the group Cola Nut interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use might increase the risk of a hypertensive crisis.
Cola nut contains caffeine. Caffeine has been shown to inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B in laboratory studies. Concomitant intake of large amounts of caffeine with MAOIs might precipitate a hypertensive crisis. In a case report, a patient that consumed 10-12 cups of caffeinated coffee and took the MAOI tranylcypromine presented with severe hypertension. Hypertension was resolved after the patient switched to drinking decaffeinated coffee.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the gist: Moclobemide is a reversible MAO inhibitor used for depression, and cola nut is basically a natural source of caffeine. When you pair a stimulant like caffeine with an MAOI, the worry is that your body clears caffeine more slowly and its effects stack up, which can push your blood pressure and heart rate higher than usual.

To be fair, this is a theoretical concern. It's based on lab work and a single case report involving very heavy coffee intake (10 to 12 cups) with an older, stronger MAOI. A normal cup of coffee or a little cola flavoring is unlikely to be a problem. But concentrated cola nut supplements are a different story. Before adding one, please check with your pharmacist or doctor.

References
  1. McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.
  2. MacKenzie, T., Comi, R., Sluss, P., Keisari, R., Manwar, S., Kim, J., Larson, R., and Baron, J. A. Metabolic and hormonal effects of caffeine: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. Metabolism 2007;56(12):1694-1698. PubMed
  3. Moisey, L. L., Robinson, L. E., and Graham, T. E. Consumption of caffeinated coffee and a high carbohydrate meal affects postprandial metabolism of a subsequent oral glucose tolerance test in young, healthy males. Br.J Nutr. 2010;103(6):833-841. PubMed
  4. Buscemi, S., Verga, S., Batsis, J. A., Donatelli, M., Tranchina, M. R., Belmonte, S., Mattina, A., Re, A., and Cerasola, G. Acute effects of coffee on endothelial function in healthy subjects. Eur.J Clin Nutr. 2010;64(5):483-489. PubMed
  5. Orozco-Gregorio, H., Mota-Rojas, D., Bonilla-Jaime, H., Trujillo-Ortega, M. E., Becerril-Herrera, M., Hernandez-Gonzalez, R., and Villanueva-Garcia, D. Effects of administration of caffeine on metabolic variables in neonatal pigs with peripartum asphyxia PubMed
  6. van der Hoeven N, Visser I, Schene A, van den Born BJ. Severe hypertension related to caffeinated coffee and tranylcypromine: a case report. Ann Intern Med. 2014 May 6;160(9):657-8. doi: 10.7326/L14-5009-8. No abstract available. PubMed

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Cola Nut Also Interacts With Other Medications

Cola Nut has 546 moderate, 108 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Moclobemide one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Cola Nut

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Cola Nut. Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Moclobemide

This page covers Cola Nut only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Moclobemide page lists 94 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Bitter Orange (major), Brewer's Yeast (major) and Cowhage (major).

By severity: 13 major · 67 moderate · 14 minor.

Open the Moclobemide interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Cola Nut as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 2 real supplement products containing Cola Nut, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Cola Nut. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Moclobemide too, on top of Cola Nut — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Cola Nut and Moclobemide Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Cola Nut
Steady interest

#1,037 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Moclobemide
Top half

#940 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Cola Nut

What is Cola Nut?

Cola Nut
  • Energy and alertness
  • Mental focus
  • Physical performance
  • Weight loss support
  • Traditional digestive aid

Cola nut is a caffeine-containing seed from West Africa used mainly as a natural stimulant for energy and alertness. Most of its effects come from caffeine, and strong human evidence for specific health benefits is limited. Because of its caffeine content, people sensitive to stimulants and those who are pregnant or have heart conditions should be cautious.

Read the full Cola Nut monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Cola Nut

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Cola Nut — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
546Moderate
108Minor
2,175No known interaction
Moderate

546 interactions

Showing 60 of 546 moderate interactions — see all 546 on the Cola Nut page.

Minor

108 interactions

Showing 60 of 108 minor interactions — see all 108 on the Cola Nut page.

No interaction 2,175 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Cola Nut and Moclobemide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Cola Nut with Moclobemide?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Cola Nut and Moclobemide interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.