Methylene Blue
Phenothiazine dye acting as a mitochondrial electron carrier and reversible MAO-A/B inhibitor at low doses (<2 mg/kg). Enhances cytochrome c oxidase activity and ATP production. Used clinically for methemoglobinemia and investigated for cognitive enhancement, neuroprotection, and treatment-resistant depression. At higher doses (>2 mg/kg) can cause serotonin syndrome risk when combined with serotonergic drugs.
Projected serum levels — 15 mg, once daily
Maintenance schedule: 15 mg once daily (oral).
Modeled steady state after ~1 days: peak ≈ 9.4 mg, trough ≈ 0.31 mg body load. Population-based estimate over 15 days for a 15 mg dose at a 70 kg reference body mass — the interactive app scales curves to your doses, timing, and body mass.
Key facts
- Category
- Nootropic
- Route modeled
- Oral
- Model confidence
- inferred
- Half-life
- 5.3 h
- Common dose
- 15 mg
- Suggested maximum
- 200 mg/day
- Reference dose range
- 7.5–200 mg (single dose)
- Suggested cadence
- once daily
- Validated against
- 100 mg oral — Cmax 0.50 mg/L at 1 h
Documented interactions
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danger
1P-LSD (1-Propionyl-LSD) + Methylene Blue
1P-LSD (1-Propionyl-LSD) and Methylene Blue both have serotonergic activity. Risk of serotonin syndrome (hyperthermia, rigidity, autonomic instability, altered mental status).
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danger
25I-NBOMe + Methylene Blue
25I-NBOMe and Methylene Blue both have serotonergic activity. Risk of serotonin syndrome (hyperthermia, rigidity, autonomic instability, altered mental status).
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danger
2C-I (2,5-Dimethoxy-4-iodophenethylamine) + Methylene Blue
2C-I (2,5-Dimethoxy-4-iodophenethylamine) and Methylene Blue both have serotonergic activity. Risk of serotonin syndrome (hyperthermia, rigidity, autonomic instability, altered mental status).
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danger
2C-B (4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine) + Methylene Blue
2C-B (4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine) and Methylene Blue both have serotonergic activity. Risk of serotonin syndrome (hyperthermia, rigidity, autonomic instability, altered mental status).
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danger
3-MeO-PCP (3-Methoxyphencyclidine) + Methylene Blue
3-MeO-PCP (3-Methoxyphencyclidine) and Methylene Blue both have serotonergic activity. Risk of serotonin syndrome (hyperthermia, rigidity, autonomic instability, altered mental status).
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danger
4-AcO-DMT (Psilacetin) + Methylene Blue
4-AcO-DMT (Psilacetin) and Methylene Blue both have serotonergic activity. Risk of serotonin syndrome (hyperthermia, rigidity, autonomic instability, altered mental status).
Serum checks 120 modeled interaction pairings for methylene blue across your whole stack — absorption conflicts, enzyme inhibition, and nutrient depletion included.
Research behind this entry
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Methylene blue enhances brain oxidative metabolism and memory retention in rats
Demonstrated that low-dose methylene blue (1-4 mg/kg) enhances brain cytochrome oxidase activity by 25-30% and significantly improves memory retention in rats through mitochondrial enhancement.
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Multimodal randomized functional MR imaging of the effects of methylene blue in the human brain
First human fMRI study showing low-dose methylene blue (280 mg oral) increases cerebral blood flow and functional connectivity in memory-related brain regions, with a 7% improvement in memory retrieval accuracy.
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Methylene blue inhibits monoamine oxidase and the central nervous system action of tyramine
Characterized methylene blue as a potent reversible MAO-A inhibitor (Ki = 27 nM), explaining both its antidepressant potential and serotonin syndrome risk when combined with serotonergic drugs.
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Cellular and molecular actions of methylene blue in the nervous system
This mechanistic review describes methylene blue's redox chemistry, mitochondrial electron cycling, nitric-oxide/cGMP effects, monoamine oxidase inhibition, and rapid nervous-system distribution. It supports biological…
5 published studies referenced in the app, each with a plain-language summary.