Rasagiline
Prescription ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Rasagiline is an irreversible MAO-B inhibitor used for Parkinson disease as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy. At recommended doses it is selective for MAO-B, but contraindicated serotonergic, opioid, sympathomimetic, and MAOI combinations can still cause serotonin syndrome or hypertensive reactions. Dose reduction is required with ciprofloxacin or other CYP1A2 inhibitors.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
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What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Rasagiline is an irreversible MAO-B inhibitor used for Parkinson disease as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy. NutriStack rates the supporting evidence as strong. Common adult dosing is Monotherapy or adjunct therapy without levodopa: 1 mg orally once daily. Adjunct to levodopa: start 0.5 mg once daily and increase to 1 mg once daily if needed and tolerated. Use 0.5 mg once daily and do not exceed 0.5 mg daily with ciprofloxacin or other CYP1A2 inhibitors or in mild hepatic impairment; avoid in moderate or severe hepatic impairment., though a prescriber sets the actual dose. This profile indexes 3 sources.
- Headache
- Arthralgia
- Dyspepsia
- Concomitant meperidine, tramadol, methadone, propoxyphene, St. John's Wort, cyclobenzaprine, dextromethorphan, another MAOI, or certain antidepressants without appropriate washout
- Do not use with other MAO inhibitors3
The bottom line
Evidence rating strong. Most-documented uses: monotherapy for parkinson disease motor symptoms, adjunctive therapy with levodopa to reduce off time, once-daily dosing. 3 sources indexed (2002–2026), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Rasagiline irreversibly inhibits MAO-B, reducing dopamine breakdown in the brain and increasing dopaminergic signaling relevant to Parkinson motor symptoms. Because inhibition is irreversible, pharmacodynamic effects persist beyond the short plasma half-life. CYP1A2 is important for metabolism, and inhibitors can raise rasagiline exposure enough to increase adverse-effect risk.1,2
Dosing & protocol.
May be taken with or without food. A tyramine-restricted diet is not generally required at recommended doses, but very high-tyramine intake should be avoided and patients must follow labeling warnings.
Full safety detail.
Side effects
- Headache
- Arthralgia
- Dyspepsia
- Depression
- Dyskinesia with levodopa
- Orthostatic hypotension
- Hallucinations or impulse-control symptoms
- Falling asleep during activities
- Hypertension or hypertensive reactions
- Serotonin syndrome with serotonergic agents
Contraindications
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Randomized controlled trials
2- 1Rasagiline as adjunct to levodopa in patients with Parkinson's disease and motor fluctuationsRascol O et al. · Lancet · 2005
Adjunctive rasagiline reduced daily off time in patients with motor fluctuations.
- 2A controlled trial of rasagiline in early Parkinson disease: the TEMPO studyParkinson Study Group · Archives of Neurology · 2002
The TEMPO study supported rasagiline symptomatic benefit in early Parkinson disease.
Reference material
1- 3RASAGILINE tablets, US Prescribing InformationURLU.S. National Library of Medicine · DailyMed · 2026
Labeling describes 1 mg daily monotherapy or adjunct-without-levodopa dosing, 0.5 mg adjunct-to-levodopa initiation, 0.5 mg limit with CYP1A2 inhibitors, contraindicated drugs, tyramine interaction information, and serotonin syndrome warnings.
Common questions.
Quick answers about Rasagiline, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Rasagiline?
Rasagiline is an irreversible MAO-B inhibitor used for Parkinson disease as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy. At recommended doses it is selective for MAO-B, but contraindicated serotonergic, opioid, sympathomimetic, and MAOI combinations can still cause serotonin syndrome or hypertensive reactions. Dose reduction is required with ciprofloxacin or other CYP1A2 inhibitors.
What is Rasagiline used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Rasagiline include: Monotherapy for Parkinson disease motor symptoms; Adjunctive therapy with levodopa to reduce off time; Once-daily dosing. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong.
What is a typical dose of Rasagiline?
A typical adult dose of Rasagiline is Monotherapy or adjunct therapy without levodopa: 1 mg orally once daily. Adjunct to levodopa: start 0.5 mg once daily and increase to 1 mg once daily if needed and tolerated. Use 0.5 mg once daily and do not exceed 0.5 mg daily with ciprofloxacin or other CYP1A2 inhibitors or in mild hepatic impairment; avoid in moderate or severe hepatic impairment.. The commonly recommended form is Oral tablet once daily. These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Rasagiline?
Reported side effects include headache, arthralgia, dyspepsia, depression, dyskinesia with levodopa, orthostatic hypotension. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Rasagiline?
NutriStack rates this as Strong, meaning multiple high-quality meta-analyses or systematic reviews converge on the same finding. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
Rasagiline in NutriStack.
Add it to your stack, see how it interacts with everything else you take, and get a Stack Score that updates the moment it does.