http://www.livestrong.com/artic...-mao-inhibitor-activity/
some one posted this in chat, leading to the discussion of possibly using a nutmeg extract as a replacement for harmalas
thoughts?

You might want to look on other alkaloids that has also some enzime inibition properties like coumarin, quercitin and hordenine. From top of my head there is Tagetes Lucida as a common herb..

Seeing that list, it make me want to try different "cocktails" of MAOI herbs, but nutmeg does look interesting. Wondering what size dose would be required?

Usually many of the discussion on MAOIs (or MAOI-activities) in this or that plant often fail to mention the strength of the inhibition...granted a molecule from plant x can inhibit MAO, but if it is a weak one (as it happens in many cases), it logically follows that it is impractical to use.

Harmalas are surprisingly potent ("potent" as in a small amount is needed to do the job) with IC50's at the nanomolar level. I'd be at least wise/safe to compare IC50 values as a first step before eating a plant and expect MAO inhibition. For nutmeg in particular, reports of MAOI effects are just too old to be reliable (or even traced...)