A Comparative Trial of Imipramine and Phenelzine in the Treatment of Depression

Abstract

Much work has been done in recent years on the use of individual anti-depressant drugs, but relatively little on comparative studies of their values. So many new drugs have appeared in such rapid succession that the psychiatrist has difficulty in knowing which to choose in the treatment of his depressed patient. The aim of this study was to compare imipramine (Tofranil) and phenelzine (Nardil), both of which had been found by personal experience to be of value in the treatment of depressive states. In the past two years there have been several well-controlled trials of both these drugs which have proved them to be of definite value in the treatment of depression. (Ball and Kiloh, 1959; Harris and Robin, 1960; Holdway, 1960; Hutchinson and Smedberg, 1960; Ashby and Collins, 1961; Rees et al., 1961.) At the time of commencement of this trial imipramine and phenelzine seemed to be the two best antidepressant agents available. It was decided to compare the remission rate or degree of improvement produced by them and the rapidity of response to each. It was hoped to determine what factors in the depressive illness were associated with a good or bad response to either drug. No similar direct comparison of these two drugs had been made, to the writer's knowledge.