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Urinary excretion of conjugates of dothiepin and northiaden (mono-N-demethyl-dothiepin) after an oral dose of dothiepin to humans.

Only small amounts of unconjugated dothiepin (unchanged drug) and northiaden were excreted in urine over a 72 hr period. More than 10% of the dose was excreted as conjugated dothiepin and less than 0.8% of the dose as conjugated northiaden. Conjugated dothiepin was thus found to be an important metabolite of dothiepin. Conjugated dothiepin and northiaden were hydrolyzed with beta-glucuronidase, and their hydrolysis inhibited with 1,4 saccharolactone. Conjugated dothiepin and northiaden were found to be a quaternary ammonium-linked glucuronide and a tertiary N-glucuronide, respectively.

Adult↗

Steady-state serum concentrations of dothiepin and northiaden after two dosage regimens of dothiepin hydrochloride (Prothiaden).

Five healthy volunteers took part in a crossover study which examined the serum concentrations of dothiepin and northiaden after a 25 mg three times a day and a 75 mg once a day dosage regimen of Prothiaden. The inter-individual variation of serum levels was large after either schedule which is to be expected with this group of drugs. The minimum steady-state level of dothiepin tended to be lower after the single daily dose, but the differences were small and not statistically significant. The approximate maximum steady-state levels of dothiepin showed large intra-and inter-subject variation and no obvious trend. The values of the desmethylated metabolite, norhiaden, tended to follow the dothiepin concentrations but were lower than the parent drug. Average steady-state levels tended, with one exception, to be very similar after both regimens with no evidence with no evidence fo any trend when comparing the two regiments. The study showed that the two regimens yielded similar steady-state serum concentrations both of drug and metabolite but inter-individual differences were large.

Adult↗

The excretion of dothiepin and its primary metabolites in breast milk.

1. The excretion of dothiepin, nordothiepin, dothiepin-S-oxide and nordothiepin-S-oxide into breast milk was studied in eight women. Exposure to drug was measured in five of their infants, and possible drug-related effects were assessed in all eight infants. 2. Using pre-feed milk samples mean (+/- s.e. mean) milk:plasma (M:P) ratios were 0.78 +/- 0.12, 0.85 +/- 0.16, 1.18 +/- 0.29 and 1.86 +/- 0.29 for dothiepin, nordothiepin, dothiepin-S-oxide and nordothiepin-S-oxide, respectively. In post-feed milk samples, the mean M:P ratio for dothiepin (1.59 +/- 0.32) was significantly greater (P less than 0.05) but M:P ratios for the metabolites were similar. 3. Mean total calculated infant daily doses, (in dothiepin equivalents and as a percent of the maternal dose) were 0.58% for dothiepin, 0.23% for nordothiepin, 2.47% for dothiepin-S-oxide, and 1.17% for nordothiepin-S-oxide. 4. Plasma samples were obtained from five infants. In one, both dothiepin and nordothiepin were below their minimum quantifiable levels (2 micrograms l-1) while in four others both dothiepin-S-oxide and nordothiepin-S-oxide were below their minimum quantifiable levels (10 micrograms l-1). No adverse effects were found in any of the eight infants. 5. Use of dothiepin by depressed mothers is unlikely to be a significant hazard to their breast-feeding infants.

Adult↗

Clinical pharmacokinetics of dothiepin. Single-dose kinetics in patients and prediction of steady-state concentrations.

The pharmacokinetics of dothiepin were evaluated in 9 depressed patients following a single oral dose of 75 mg. Blood and plasma concentrations of dothiepin and 2 major metabolites, northiaden and dothiepin S-oxide, were measured by gas chromatography/mass fragmentography. The mean (+/-SD) peak plasma concentrations of dothiepin were 49 +/- 27 micrograms/L at 3 +/- 1.2h. Mean (+/-SD) estimates of other parameters were as follows: absorption half-life 1.1 +/- 1.1h; distribution half-life 2.2 +/- 0.8 h; elimination half-life 25 +/- 7h; apparent volume of distribution 70 +/- 62 L/kg; and oral clearance 2.1 +/- 1.6 L/kg/h. The mean (+/-SD) peak plasma concentration of dothiepin S-oxide was 125 +/- 43 micrograms/L at 3.5 +/- 1.3h with an elimination half-life of 22 +/- 12 h. The mean peak plasma concentration of northiaden was 6 +/- 3 micrograms/L at 4.5 +/- 1.1h, with an elimination half-life of 31 +/- 12 h. No significant differences were found in pharmacokinetic parameters compared with a previous study in 7 healthy volunteers. When data for the patients and healthy volunteers were combined (n = 16), pharmacokinetic parameters were not found to be affected by age. However, a significant difference was found between males and females for the elimination half-lives of dothiepin and northiaden, and for the apparent volume of distribution of dothiepin. The 24-hour blood/plasma concentrations of dothiepin and dothiepin S-oxide accurately predicted the steady-state concentrations obtained following 4 weeks' treatment with dothiepin 150 mg nocte.

Dibenzothiepins↗

A double-blind, comparative study of dothiepin and clomipramine in the treatment of major depressive illness.

Dothiepin, a well-established antidepressant, has been compared with clomipramine in a single-blind study which demonstrated that dothiepin was better tolerated but there was no difference in efficacy. The present study was performed to recent European guidelines on good clinical practice using a randomised, double-blind, parallel-group methodology. One hundred and one patients suffering from major depressive disorder as defined by DSM-III-R were randomised to receive either clomipramine (25-150 mg daily) or dothiepin (75-150 mg daily) for up to six weeks. The clomipramine group comprised 51 patients, the dothiepin group 50 patients. At baseline, both groups had a mean age of 41-43 years and gave similar mean scores on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (23.5 for clomipramine, 23.6 for dothiepin). At endpoint it was reduced in both groups but there were no significant differences between the groups (mean change from baseline for the clomipramine and dothiepin groups was -14.6 and -14.1 respectively). Thirty-one clomipramine patients and 41 dothiepin patients completed six weeks' treatment. Withdrawal from treatment (20 patients for clomipramine, nine for dothiepin) was significantly different (p = 0.0105). When reasons for withdrawal were analysed, 13 clomipramine patients and two dothiepin patients withdrew because of adverse events, this difference being significant (p = 0.002). Thus both treatments were effective in treating patients suffering from major depressive disorder, but patients receiving dothiepin suffered fewer adverse events and were more likely to complete their treatment.

Adult↗

Assessment of the antidepressant activity of dothiepin and its metabolites by preclinical tests.

The affinities of dothiepin and its principal metabolites northiaden, dothiepin sulphoxide and northiaden sulphoxide for [3H]imipramine binding sites in the rat cortical homogenates, and for [3H]spiperone and [3H]serotonin receptor sites in preparations from the rat frontal cortex and hippocampus were studied. As inhibitors of [3H]imipramine binding, the strengths of the drugs are, in terms of their IC50 (concentration corresponding to 50% inhibition): dothiepin 2.8 X 10(-6) M, northiaden 5.0 X 10(-6) M, northiaden sulphoxide 4.0 X 10(-5) M and dothiepin sulphoxide 3.2 X 10(-5) M. The potencies of the drugs in inhibiting serotonergic binding followed a similar trend. Using frontal cortical tissue suspensions and [3H]spiperone, the IC50 values were determined to be: dothiepin 4.2 X 10(-6) M, northiaden 5.0 X 10(-6) M, northiaden sulphoxide 1.6 X 10(-4) M and dothiepin sulphoxide 1.6 X 10(-4) M; whereas in hippocampal suspensions and using [3H]serotonin, the IC50 values were 2.5 X 10(-6) M, northiaden 4.0 X 10(-5) M, dothiepin sulphoxide 2.5 X 10(-4) M and northiaden sulphoxide greater than 10(-3) M. The influence of the drugs on the uptake of [14C]serotonin into human platelets was also investigated. All had an inhibitory effect upon the uptake, the order of potency being dothiepin greater than northiaden greater than northiaden sulphoxide greater than dothiepin sulphoxide. Plots of 1/v versus 1/s showed that the inhibition was competitive for all four compounds.

Animals↗

Dothiepin. A review of its pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties, and therapeutic efficacy in depressive illness.

Dothiepin is a tricyclic antidepressant that is structurally related to amitriptyline. It appears that the antidepressant activity of dothiepin is mediated through facilitation of noradrenergic neurotransmission by uptake inhibition and possibly also by enhancement of serotoninergic neurotransmission. The overall therapeutic efficacy of dothiepin is very similar to that of amitriptyline. In addition, dothiepin appears to be comparable to imipramine, doxepin, maprotiline, mianserin, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine and trazodone. Dry mouth is the most commonly reported side effect of therapeutic doses but the incidence of this and other anticholinergic side effects is less among patients treated with dothiepin than with amitriptyline. However, the sedative/anxiolytic activity of dothiepin is similar to that of amitriptyline. Dothiepin has not been associated with cardiotoxicity at therapeutic doses. Thus, many years of extensive clinical use have shown that dothiepin is now an established and effective antidepressant in both inpatients and outpatients with depressive symptoms of varying severity and coexisting anxiety. Its therapeutic equivalence to other tricyclics ensures its place as a treatment alternative in these disorders.

Animals↗

Greater toxicity in overdose of dothiepin than of other tricyclic antidepressants.

Epidemiological studies have implicated dothiepin in a greater number of self-poisoning deaths than would be expected from its use. We have prospectively assessed the clinical toxicity of dothiepin and other tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) in overdose. We followed-up consecutively admitted patients with TCA poisoning managed by our department between January, 1987, and August, 1992. 75 patients had taken dothiepin, 101 amitriptyline, 83 doxepin, and 61 other TCAs. Death after TCA poisoning is rare nowadays, so we used intermediate outcome measures--general seizures, tachyarrhythmias, sedation, and QRS width on the electrocardiogram. 15 patients had seizures and 7 tachyarrhythmias. When we excluded patients who had taken more than one TCA, general seizures were more likely after dothiepin than after other TCAs (9/67 vs 5/220) as were arrhythmias (4/67 vs 3/220). Rates of other complications were similar. The dothiepin group had ingested a larger dose, attributable to the larger average tablet strength, than patients who took other TCAs. The odds ratio for seizures with dothiepin versus other TCAs was 6.7 (95% Cl 2.2-20.7) unadjusted and 7.1 (2.2-23.2) after adjustment for sex, age, and ingested dose. The corresponding odds ratios for arrhythmias were 4.6 (1.0-21.1) and 3.4 (0.7-16.3). Dothiepin in overdose seems to be proconvulsant. Patients with only minor sedation and normal limb-lead QRS width may still have major complications. Consideration should be given to the use of other antidepressants in patients at risk of seizures or suicide. Regulatory authorities should review the need for a 75 mg strength tablet of any TCA.

Adult↗

A randomized, double-blind, multi-centre, parallel-group study comparing the tolerability and efficacy of moclobemide and dothiepin hydrochloride in depressed patients in general practice.

A randomized, double-blind, multi-centre, parallel-group study compared the tolerability and efficacy of 450 mg of moclobemide and 75-150 mg of dothiepin in the management of depressed patients in general practice. Patients who fulfilled the DSM-III-R criteria for major depressive disorder and who scored 13 or more on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale were admitted. The trial lasted six weeks. The dose of moclobemide was 150 mg three times daily and that of dothiepin was 75 mg daily for the first two weeks and 150 mg thereafter. Assessments were made at baseline and after one, three and six weeks using the HDRS, the Zung SRS and the CGI. Adverse events and vital signs were monitored at each visit, and laboratory screening tests performed at the beginning and end of the study. Sixty-four general practitioners from four centres recruited 345 patients: 175 received dothiepin and 170 moclobemide; 265 completed six weeks of treatment. Thirty-eight dothiepin-treated patients (22%) and 42 who received moclobemide (25%) dropped out, most commonly because they experienced adverse events. More patients on dothiepin (24) than on moclobemide (16) dropped out for this reason; the incidence of adverse events was 10% higher in the dothiepin-treated group and of "side effects" more than 10% higher, the latter difference being statistically significant. Both treatments resulted in significant improvement; this was greater in the dothiepin-treated group and the difference was statistically significant, although clinically small.

Adolescent↗

Metabolism and pharmacokinetics of dothiepin.

1 Seven healthy volunteers received a single oral dose of 75 mg dothiepin. Plasma concentrations of dothiepin were measured by gas chromatography-mass fragmentography. 2 The plasma concentrations obtained were fitted to the equation Ct = Ae-a(t-tau) + Be-beta(t-tau) - Ce-ka(t-tau). The mean peak concentration was 47(33-71) microgram/l at 3(2-5) h. Mean estimates were as follows: absorption half life 1.2(0.07-3.0) h, distribution half-life 2.6(1.1-3.8) h, elimination half-life 22(14-40) h, apparent volume of distribution 45(20-92) l/kg, and oral clearance 1.36(0.88-1.8) l kg-1 h-1. 3 Blood concentrations of dothiepin were measured in comparison in five of the volunteers. The mean blood/plasma ratio was 0.7(0.6-0.8). 4 Plasma and blood concentrations of northiaden and blood concentrations of dothiepin S-oxide, two metabolites of dothiepin, were also measured. Dothiepin S-oxide was the major metabolic reaching a peak level of 81(34-150) microgram/l at 5(4-6) h. In comparison, northiaden reached a peak concentration of only 10 (3-21) microgram/l at 5 (4-9) h. The mean half-life of elimination of dothiepin S-oxide was 19 (13-35) h while that for northiaden was 33 (22-60) h.

Adult↗

Evaluation of efficacy and tolerability of dothiepin hydrochloride in the management of major depression in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

Several studies have shown that 20 to 66.2% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis have associated psychiatric comorbidity especially depression. Dothiepin hydrochloride is a well-established and effective antidepressant in patients with depressive symptoms of varying severity and co-existing anxiety. To document the efficacy and tolerability of dothiepin hydrochloride in the management of major depressive disorder (MDD) in rheumatoid arthritis patients a phase IV, open, single arm, prospective study was initiated with dothiepin hydrochloride in the dose of 75 mg/day, duration of therapy was 6 weeks. Twenty-five rheumatoid arthritis patients suffering from co-morbid MDD completed the 6-week dothiepin hydrochoride treatment and were considered for final analysis. There was significant reduction (p < 0.05) in mean HAM-D scores at week 2 (13.92 +/- 5.45), week 4 (9.28 +/- 4.13) and week 6 (5.72 +/- 3.26) compared to baseline (21.64 +/- 5.93). There was significant reduction (p < 0.05) in mean HAM-A scores at week 2 (6.52 +/- 3.34), week 4 (4.0 +/- 2.25) and week 6 (2.76 +/- 1.59) compared to baseline (10.68 +/- 3.68). The global impression of efficacy at the end of 6 weeks of dothiepin hydrochloride treatment was rated by the clinician (psychiatrist) as marked and moderate improvement in 20 (80%) and 5 patients (20%) respectively. Only 2 patients reported dry mouth as an adverse event in the study. The overall assessment of tolerability at the end of 6 weeks of dothiepin hydrochloride treatment was rated by the clinician (psychiatrist) as good and fair in 19 (76%) and 6 patients (24%) respectively. Dothiepin hydrochloride was found to be an effective and well-tolerated drug in the management of MDD and anxiety in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

Adolescent↗

Pharmacokinetics of dothiepin in humans: a single dose dose-proportionality study.

Dothiepin hydrochloride (N,N-dimethyldibenzo[b,e]thiepin-delta 11(6 H), gamma-propylamine hydrochloride) is a tricyclic antidepressant which is structurally similar to amitriptyline. Twenty-seven healthy men received three single oral doses of 50-, 100-, and 150-mg dothiepin hydrochloride capsules in a three-way randomized, crossover dose-proportionality study. Plasma concentration-time profiles of dothiepin (1) were described by both one- and two-compartment models with first-order absorption. The total intrinsic clearance of dothiepin decreased from 165.5 to 121.1 L/h as the dose was increased from 50 to 150 mg, but there was no significant effect on the terminal half-life (approximately 20 h). Plasma concentration-time profiles of the three major metabolites of dothiepin, the S-oxide derivative of dothiepin, N,N-dimethyl[b,e]thiepin-delta 11(6 H), gamma-propylamine 5-oxide (2), the demethyl derivative, N-methyldibenzo[b,e]thiepin-delta 11(6 H), gamma-propylamine (3) and the demethyl S-oxide derivative N-methyldibenzo[b,e]thiepin-delta 11(6 H), gamma-propylamine 5-oxide (4), were described by a one-compartment model with apparent first-order formation. The AUC infinity values of the S-oxide 2 and the demethyl S-oxide 4 increased proportionally with dose. The dose proportionality of the demethyl metabolite 3 may not be ascertained from the data in this study. The corresponding half-lives of the three metabolites, which are dose independent, were approximately 24, 28, and 40 h, respectively.

Adult↗

The effects of dothiepin on subjects with rheumatoid arthritis and depression.

BACKGROUND: The relative importance of direct analgesic and antidepressant effects of antidepressant drugs in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is not clear. METHOD: Forty-eight female out-patients with RA, with depression and/or anxiety, were entered into a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of dothiepin in doses up to 150 mg daily to assess the effects on mood [Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale and Hamilton Rating Scale (HRS) for Depression], pain [visual analogue scale (VAS)] and disability [Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ)]. RESULTS: Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance revealed that treatment had a significant effect on pain (F(d.f. 1,39) =5.7, P=0.02). There were further interaction effects between treatment and time on pain (F(d. f. 3,117) =3.3, P=0.03), disability (F(d.f. 3,117)=4.2, P=0.008) and duration of early morning stiffness (F(d.f. 3,117) =3.3, P=0.03). Depression (HRS) was considerably reduced in both the dothiepin and placebo groups, and there was no significant difference between groups. Post hoc analyses using analysis of covariance revealed that, in the dothiepin group, pain was significantly reduced by week 4 and remained so at week 12. Disability scores and duration of early morning stiffness were consistently lower in the dothiepin group, although differences failed to reach statistical significance at any follow-up assessment. In the group as a whole, reductions in pain were highly significantly correlated with reductions in HAD depression (r =0.63, P<0.0005), HAD anxiety (r=0.46, P=0.001) and HRS depression (r=0.37, P=0.01). CONCLUSION: Dothiepin is effective in relieving pain, disability and reducing the duration of early morning stiffness in out-patients with RA. Although there is a general association between pain reduction and improved anxiety and depression, the analgesic effect of dothiepin is independent of its antidepressant effect. Individual variation is considerable and further research should try to identify mechanisms of interaction between the antidepressant and analgesic effects of treatment in different patient groups.

Affect↗

A double-blind comparative study of fluoxetine and dothiepin in the treatment of depression in general practice.

Fluoxetine, a selective inhibitor of 5-HT uptake, was compared to dothiepin in a double-blind study of 6 weeks duration in 100 depressed patients (male and female) drawn from 8 general practices. Only those who scored at least 17 on the first 17 questions of the Hamilton Psychiatric Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) were selected. Both groups improved throughout the trial, though the dothiepin treated patients tended to improve quicker. However, by the end of the trial there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups. Subset analyses of HAM-D scores associated with anxiety and sleep revealed no statistically significant differences between the 2 treatments though improvement in anxiety scores was marginally greater for those receiving fluoxetine by the end of the trial. Other global assessments by patients and doctors confirmed the changes in HAM-D scores. Statistically significant weight changes occurred between visits 1 and 5. Whereas fluoxetine-treated patients lost weight (p less than 0.05), dothiepin-treated patients gained weight (p = 0.05) over this period. Adverse effects were reported in 27 patients given fluoxetine and 20 dothiepin. Of these, 14 fluoxetine and 7 dothiepin-treated patients withdrew before the end of the trial. The most common adverse effects were nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea in the fluoxetine group and tiredness, drowsiness and diarrhoea in the dothiepin group. There were no haematological or clinical chemistry changes.

Adolescent↗

Disposition of dothiepin after overdose: effects of repeated-dose activated charcoal.

Although the tricyclic antidepressant dothiepin is often encountered in deliberate self-poisonings, there are no published studies of its disposition in overdose. In the present study, we have documented the plasma disposition of dothiepin and its major metabolites in eight overdose patients. All had high initial levels of dothiepin (819-3,851 micrograms/L), dothiepin-S-oxide (655-2,162 micrograms/L), nordothiepin (88-422 micrograms/L), and nordothiepin-S-oxide (176-530 micrograms/L) that were considerably above steady-state therapeutic concentrations. In three patients who received treatment with repeated-dose activated charcoal, dothiepin half-lives were 10.6, 12.5, and 13.1 h compared with the literature range of 18.5-24 h. All patients survived and none experienced any significant cardiovascular event despite exhibiting clinical signs of tricyclic antidepressant overdose. We suggest that repeated-dose activated charcoal treatment may decrease the dothiepin half-life after overdose.

Adult↗

Why do amitriptyline and dothiepin appear to be so dangerous in overdose?

Data from different analyses of reported deaths from overdose with antidepressants in the U.K. reveal that amitriptyline and dothiepin are the antidepressants most likely to be associated with death from overdose. All widely used tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) except clomipramine and lofepramine appear to be dangerous in overdose, whereas the newer antidepressants such as mianserin, trazodone, viloxazine and the TCA lofepramine appear to be relatively safe. The toxicity of amitriptyline and dothiepin appears to be greater than all antidepressants including other TCAs and it is important to try to understand why. A number of explanations will be considered: 1. Dothiepin and amitriptyline may be inherently more toxic than other TCAs. 2. Dothiepin and amitriptyline may induce suicide more than other antidepressants. It is assumed that antidepressants are neutral with regard to inducing suicide but this may not be true. There is, for example, evidence that alprazolam and other benzodiazepines induce suicidal behaviour. 3. Amitriptyline and dothiepin are often presented in subtherapeutic and ineffective doses and it is possible that increased suicides may result from inadequately treated depression. 4. There may be a selective overreporting of deaths with amitriptyline and dothiepin. 5. Amitriptyline and prothiaden may be selectively given to the suicide prone on the mistaken assumption that they are safe.

Amitriptyline↗

Fatal intoxication due to dothiepin.

An ingestion of an unknown quantity of Harmomed (dothiepin and diazepam) capsules in a suicide is described. The authors report a new and fast method of analysing and determining the dothiepin concentration in postmortem specimens. Quantitation of dothiepin, and its metabolite desmethyldothiepin was performed by ethyl acetate extraction from alkalinized body fluids before GC-MS analysis. The analyses were performed without any complex sample clean-up steps and with little sample material. Postmortem concentrations of dothiepin, desmethyldothiepin, diazepam and desmethyldiazepam in body fluids are given. The proposed method is a rapid procedure for analysis in cases of deliberate poisoning with the antidepressant drug dothiepin.

Adult↗

A double-blind, placebo-controlled comparison of sertraline and dothiepin in the treatment of major depression in general practice.

In a double-blind multi-centre study of general practice patients with DSM-III-R major depressive disorder, sertraline (50 or 100 mg/day) was compared with dothiepin (75 or 150 mg/day) and with placebo. There were 83, 96 and 90 patients evaluated in the respective treatment groups; treatment lasted 6 weeks. Patients were assessed on the MADRS, CGI, and Leeds Self-rating Scales. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between sertraline and placebo were found on MADRS and CGI but not the Leeds Scales. In the mild subgroup analyses, there were no significant differences between sertraline and placebo. However, clear significant differences (p < 0.05) between sertraline and placebo were present in the severe subgroup. Dothiepin failed to achieve a statistically significant difference from placebo on any analyses. Seventy-six per cent of patients were treated with 50 mg sertraline and 81% of patients received 150 mg dothiepin. Both sertraline and dothiepin were generally well tolerated; the most frequent side effects with sertraline were nausea, dizziness and headache; with dothiepin the most frequent side effects were dry mouth, somnolence and headache.

1-Naphthylamine↗