title: Effects of trazodone and fluoxetine in the treatment of major depression: therapeutic pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions through formation of meta-chlorophenylpiperazine.
abstract: It has been suggested that (1) the clinical efficacy of the heterocyclic antidepressant trazodone in depression may, in part, be attributed to its metabolite meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP); and (2) the enhancement of the efficacy of trazodone by the addition of fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, may, in part, be ascribed to fluoxetine-induced plasma concentrations of trazodone. After a washout period of 10 days, 27 inpatients with major depression were treated with trazodone 100 mg/day (orally). One week later (T0), fluoxetine 20 mg/day, placebo, or pindolol 7.5 mg/day was added. Plasma concentrations of mCPP and trazodone were determined at T0 and 2 and 4 weeks later. Although placebo pindolol had no significant effect on the plasma concentrations of mCPP and trazodone, there was a significant increase of the concentrations of these compounds associated with the combination of trazodone + fluoxetine. The results suggest that fluoxetine-induced increases in plasma mCPP and trazodone concentrations contribute to the clinical efficacy of the combination of fluoxetine + trazodone. It is suggested that desensitization of 5-HT2C receptor function by mCPP as well as fluoxetine may contribute to the antidepressant effects of this combination.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center for Mental Health (CRC-MH), University Department of Psychiatry, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Westenberg
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vandoolaeghe
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Demedts
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wauters
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Neels
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Meltzer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D010869:Pindolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D010879:Piperazines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D014196:Trazodone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D010879:Piperazines; D005473:Fluoxetine; D010869:Pindolol; C015068:1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine; D014196:Trazodone