title: Treatment of depression with E-10-hydroxynortriptyline--a pilot study on biochemical effects and pharmacokinetics.
abstract: The major metabolite of nortriptyline, i.e. E-10-hydroxynortriptyline (E-10-OH-NT), was given as a racemate in increasing doses from 75 to 225 mg/day to five patients with major depressive episode. Plasma concentrations of both the (-)- and (+)-enantiomers were linearly related to the doses. The mean ratio between them was 3.6 +/- 0.53, indicating stereospecific kinetics during maintenance treatment. Lumbar punctures were performed in four of the patients before and after 3 weeks of E-10-OH-NT treatment. There was a 18% mean decrease (P less than 0.01) in the noradrenaline metabolite HMPG in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), supporting previous in vitro data showing that E-10-OH-NT inhibits noradrenaline uptake in vivo. During treatment, the median depression score measured by the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale declined from 32 to 14 (P less than 0.05). As the study was open, the clinical outcome is not conclusive but does not contradict the hypothesis that E-10-OH-NT has antidepressant properties. If present at all, side effects were mild and did not interfere with the treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nordin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bertilsson
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Dahl
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Resul
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Toresson
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sjöqvist
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001679:Biogenic Amines / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008875:Middle Aged; D009661:Nortriptyline / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D001679:Biogenic Amines; C013567:10-hydroxynortriptyline; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D009661:Nortriptyline