phenylethylidenehydrazine

{{Short description|Metabolite of an antidepressant drug}}

{{redirect|PEH||Peh (disambiguation)}}

{{Drugbox

| IUPAC_name = (1E)-(2-Phenylethylidene)hydrazine

| image = Phenylethylidenehydrazine.svg

| tradename =

| pregnancy_category =

| legal_status = Uncontrolled

| routes_of_administration =

| bioavailability =

| metabolism =

| elimination_half-life = ~12 hours

| excretion =

| CAS_number_Ref = {{cascite|correct|CAS}}

| CAS_number = 29443-41-2

| UNII_Ref = {{fdacite|correct|FDA}}

| UNII = 9FZ4W7J6VE

| ATC_prefix = none

| ATC_suffix =

| PubChem = 10103216

| ChemSpiderID = 8278744

| C=8 | H=10 | N=2

| smiles = N/N=C/CC1=CC=CC=C1

}}

Phenylethylidenehydrazine (PEH), also known as 2-phenylethylhydrazone or β-phenylethylidenehydrazine, is a GABA transaminase inhibitor.{{cite journal |vauthors=Parent MB, Master S, Kashlub S, Baker GB |title=Effects of the antidepressant/antipanic drug phenelzine and its putative metabolite phenylethylidenehydrazine on extracellular gamma-aminobutyric acid levels in the striatum |journal=Biochemical Pharmacology |volume=63 |issue=1 |pages=57–64 |date=January 2002 |pmid=11754874 |doi=10.1016/S0006-2952(01)00856-5}}{{cite journal |vauthors=Duffy S, Nguyen PV, Baker GB |title=Phenylethylidenehydrazine, a novel GABA-transaminase inhibitor, reduces epileptiform activity in rat hippocampal slices |journal=Neuroscience |volume=126 |issue=2 |pages=423–432 |year=2004 |pmid=15207360 |doi=10.1016/j.neuroscience.2004.03.007 |s2cid=30625470}} It is a metabolite of the antidepressant phenelzine and is responsible for its elevation of GABA concentrations. PEH may contribute to phenelzine's anxiolytic effects.{{Cite journal |vauthors=Baker GB, Wong JT, Yeung JM, Coutts RT |date=March 1991 |title=Effects of the antidepressant phenelzine on brain levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) |journal=Journal of Affective Disorders |volume=21 |issue=3 |pages=207–211 |doi=10.1016/0165-0327(91)90041-p |issn=0165-0327 |pmid=1648582}}