Tricyclic antidepressants and tryptophan in unipolar depression

Shaw, David M.; Macsweeney, David A.; Hewland, Robyn; Johnson, Anthony L.

doi:10.1017/s0033291700056646

Cited by 22 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…L‐tryptophan augmentation was found to be effective in increasing the antidepressant response with phenezine sulphate, 71 clomipramine, 72,73 tranylcypromine, 74 and fluoxetine 75 . Earlier clinical studies using tricyclics showed no adjunctive benefit compared with placebo, 76,77 although many of those studies were of weak methodological design.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Major depressive disorder and nutritional medicine: a review of monotherapies and adjuvant treatments

2009

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A literature review was conducted to examine the evidence for nutritional interventions in depression. It revealed a number of significant conclusions. Interestingly, more positive clinical trials were found to support adjuvant, rather than monotherapeutic, use of nutrients to treat depression. Much evidence exists in the area of adjuvant application of folic acid, S-adenosyl-methionine, omega-3, and L-tryptophan with antidepressants. Current evidence does not support omega-3 as an effective monotherapy to treat depression. However, this may be due, at least in part, to olive oil being used as the control intervention, some studies using docosahexaenoic acid alone or a higher docosahexaenoic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid ratio, and significant heterogeneity regarding depressive populations. Nevertheless, adjunctive prescription of omega-3 with antidepressants, or in people with dietary deficiency, may be beneficial. Inositol lacks evidence as an effective antidepressant and cannot be currently recommended. Evidence on the use of L-tryptophan for depression is inconclusive, and additional studies utilizing a more robust methodology are required.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Major depressive disorder and nutritional medicine: a review of monotherapies and adjuvant treatments

2009

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“…Alino ef al. (1973) and Shaw et al (1975) found addition of T of no value, while Wdlinder et al (1976) demonstrated a more rapid improvement in patients who received both drugs. In a recent double-blind study by d' Elia et al (1977a) the combination of peroral T and ECT showed no advantage to ECT and placebo.…”

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confidence: 99%

Addition of L‐tryptophan to electroconvulsive treatment in endogenous depression

Kirkegaard

Møller

Bjørum

1978

Acta Psychiatr Scand

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The combination of electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) and i.v. L-tryptophan (T) was compared with ECT and saline in double-blind study comprising 20 patients with endogenous depression. No significant difference was found with regard to the number of ECT given nor in the rate of reduction of depressive symptoms. Except for a slight decrease of plasma total tryptophan in the palcepo group, no difference were found in plasma total and free tryptophan nor in the concentration of total tryptophan in the cerebrospinal fluid.

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“…As behavioural and neurological toxicity has been reported at tryptophan dosages of 2 g or more per day, tryptophan in this combination should be commenced at a dosage of 500 mg daily and slowly increased. Seven' double-blind studies of the tricyclictryptophan combination in non-resistant depressed samples have been undertaken (Lopez-Ibor Alino et al 1973;Roos 1976;Shaw et al 1975;Walinder et al 1976;Chouinard et al 1979;Walinder et al 1981;Thompson et al 1982). Four used the more serotonin-specific tricyclics, clomipramine (Roos 1976;Shaw et al 1975;Walinder et al 1976) and zimelidine (Walinder et ul.…”

Section: Combination Of Tricyclic Antidepressants and Monoamine Oxidamentioning

confidence: 99%

The Pharmacological Treatment of Tricyclic-Resistant Depression: Review and Management Guidelines

Mitchell

1987

Aust N Z J Psychiatry

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Despite the introduction of a wide range of antidepressant drugs since the late 1950s, approximately 30-50% of depressed subjects do not respond to these agents. Various treatment strategies, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological, have been proposed for treatment-resistant depression. This paper critically reviews the studies of single and combined pharmacological treatments for tricyclic-resistant patients, with a particular discussion of lithium augmentation. The major inadequacies of these studies have been the frequent lack of definitions of treatment resistance, the heterogeneity of the depressed samples, and the infrequent use of double-blind, placebo-controlled designs. Two central issues, definition of treatment resistance and clinical predictors of response to pharmacological treatments, are discussed in detail. Finally, a suggested guideline for the management of tricyclic-resistant depression is proposed.

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Tricyclic antidepressants and tryptophan in unipolar depression

Cited by 22 publications

References 5 publications

Major depressive disorder and nutritional medicine: a review of monotherapies and adjuvant treatments

Major depressive disorder and nutritional medicine: a review of monotherapies and adjuvant treatments

Addition of L‐tryptophan to electroconvulsive treatment in endogenous depression

The Pharmacological Treatment of Tricyclic-Resistant Depression: Review and Management Guidelines

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