Abstract
The reports by Coppen et al. (1963) and by Pare (1963), that tryptophan was capable of potentiating the antidepressant action of monoamine oxidase inhibitors, were followed by the claim of Coppen et al. (1967) that tryptophan, given alone was as effective as electroconvulsive therapy in the treatment of depression. These initial encouraging reports have been followed by more than 20 other papers in the literature, which have reached a wide variety of conclusions on the efficacy of tryptophan as an antidepressant. Even reviews on this subject reveal no consensus (Poitou and Boulu, 1977; Wirz-Justice, 1977; Murphy et al., 1978; Cooper, 1979). The purpose of this paper is to discuss some of the factors that will affect the response of depressed patients to tryptophan, and to suggest how it may be used effectively as an antidepressant.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Awazi, N., and Guldberg, H.C., 1978, On the interaction of 5-hydroxytryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptamine with dopamine metabolism in the rat striatum, Naunyn-Schmiedeber’s Arch. Pharmacol., 303: 63.
Ayuso Gutierrez, J.L., and López-Ibor Alino, J.J., 1971, Tryptophan and an MAGI (nialamide) in the treatment of depression: a double blind study, Int. Pharmacopsychiat., 6: 92.
Badawy, A.A.-B., and Evans, M., 1975, Tryptophan plus a pyrrolase inhibitor for depression, Lancet, ii: 869.
Carlsson, A., and Lindqvist, M., 1978, Dependence of 5HT and catecholamine synthesis on concentrations of precursor amino-acids in rat brain, Naunyn-Schmiedeber’s Arch. Pharmacol., 303: 157.
Carroll, B.J., 1971, Monoamine precursors in the treatment of depression, Clin. Pharmacol. Ther., 12: 743.
Chouinard, G., Annable, L., Young, S.N., and Sourkes, T.L., 1978a, A controlled study of tryptophan-benserazide in schizophrenia, Commun. Psychopharmacol., 2: 21.
Chouinard, G., Young, S.N., Annable, L., Sourkes, T.L., and Kiriakos, R.Z., 1978b, Tryptophan-nicotinamide combination in the treatment of newly admitted depressed patients, Commun. Psychopharmacol., 2: 311.
Chouinard, G., Young, S.N., Annable, L., and Sourkes, T.L., 1979, Tryptophan-nicotinamide, imipramine and their combination in depression, Acta Psychiat. Scand., 59: 395
Cooper, A.J., 1979, Tryptophan antidepressant ‘physiological sedative’: fact or fancy?, Psychopharmacol., 61: 97.
Coppen, A., Shaw, D.M., and Farrell, J.P., 1963, Potentiation of the antidepressive effect of a monoamine-oxidase inhibitor by tryptophan, Lancet, i: 79.
Coppen, A., Shaw, D.M., Herzberg, B., and Maggs, R., 1967, Tryptophan in the treatment of depression, Lancet, ii: 1178.
Coppen, A., Whybrow, P.C., Noguera, R., Maggs, R., and Prange, A.J., 1972, The comparative antidepressant value of L-tryptophan and imipramine with and without attempted potentiation by liothyronine, Arch. Gen. Psychiat., 26: 234.
Coppen, A., 1976, Treatment of unipolar depression, Lancet, 1: 90.
d’Elia, G., Lehmann, J., and Raotma, H., 1977, Evaluation of the combination of tryptophan and ECT in the treatment of depression: clinical analysis, Acta Psychiat. Scand., 56: 303.
Farkas, T., Dunner, D.L., and Fieve, R.R., 1976, L-Tryptophan in depression, Biol. Psychiat., 11: 295.
Gallager, D.W., and Aghajanian, G.K., 1976, Inhibition of firing of raphe neurons by tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan: blockade by inhibiting serotonin synthesis with Ro4–4602, Neuropharmacol., 15: 149.
Glassman, A.H., and Platman, S.R., 1969, Potentiation of a monoamine-oxidase inhibitor by tryptophan, J. Psychiat. Res., 7: 83.
Green, A.R., and Grahame-Smith, D.G., 1976, Effects of drugs on the processes regulating the functional activity of brain 5-hydroxytryptamine, Nature, 260: 487.
Green, A.R., and Grahame-Smith, D.G., 1978, Processes regulating the functional activity of brain 5-hydroxytryptamine: results of animal experimentation and their relevance to the understanding and treatment of depression, Pharmakopsychiat., 11: 3.
Haigler, H.J., and Aghajanian, G.K., 1977, Serotonin receptors in the brain, Fed. Proc., 36: 2159.
Joseph, M.H., and Risby, D., 1975, The determination of kynurenine in plasma, Clin. Chim. Acta, 63: 197.
Joseph, M.H., Young, S.N., and Curzon, G., 1976, The metabolism of a tryptophan load in rat brain and liver: the influence of hydrocortisone and allopurinol, Biochem. Pharmacol., 25: 2599.
Kaplan, N.O., Goldin, A., Humphreys, S.R., Ciotti, M.M., and Stolzenbach, F.E., 1956, Pyridine nucleotide synthesis in the mouse, J. Biol. Chem., 219: 287.
Kirkegaard, C., Moller, S.E., and Bjorum, N., 1978, Addition of L-tryptophan to electroconvulsive. treatment in endogenous depression: a double-blind study, Acta Psychiat. Scand., 58: 457.
López-Ibor Aliflo, J.J., Ayuso Gutierrez, J.L., and Montejo Iglesias, M.L., 1973, Tryptophan and amitriptyline in the treatment of depression: a double-blind study, Int. Pharmacopsychiat., 8: 145.
Madras, B.K., and Sourkes, T.L., 1968, Effects of drugs on the metabolism of tryptophan: alpha-hydrazinotryptophan and other amino acid analogs, Biochem. Pharmacol., 17: 1037.
Miller, S.E., Kirk, L., and Fremming, K.H., 1976, Plasma amino acids as an index for subgroups in manic depressive psychosis: correlation to effect of tryptophan, Psychopharmacol., 49: 205.
Murphy, D.L., Baker, M., Goodwin, F.K., Miller, H., Kotin,J., and Bunney, W.E., 1974, L-Tryptophan in affective disorders: indoleamine changes and differential clinical effects, Psychopharmacol., 34: 11.
Murphy, D.L., Campbell, I.C., and Costa, J.L., 1978, The brain serotonergic system in the affective disorders, Prog. NeuroPsychopharmac., 2: 1.
Pare, C.M.B., 1963, Potentiation of monoamine oxidase inhibitors by tryptophan, Lancet, ii: 527.
Poitou, P., and Boulu, R., 1977, Psychopharmacologie du tryptophane, Path. Biol., 25: 565.
Shaw, D.M., MacSweeney, D.A., Hewland, R., and Johnson, A.L., 1975, Tricyclic antidepressants and tryptophan in unipolar depression, Psychol. Med., 5: 276.
Sheard, M.H., Zolovick, A., and Aghajanian, G.K., 1972, Raphe neurons: effect of tricyclic antidepressant drugs, Brain Res., 43: 690.
Shopsin, B., 1978, Enhancement of the antidepressant response to L-tryptophan by a liver pyrrolase inhibitor: a rational treatment approach, Neuropsychobiol., 4: 188.
Ternaux, J.P., Boireau, A., Bourgoin, S. Hamon, M., Hery, F., and Glowinski, J., 1976, In vivo release of 5HT in the lateral ventricle of the rat: effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan and tryptophan, Brain Res., 101: 533.
Trulson, M.E., and Jacobs, B.L., 1976, Dose-response relationships between systemically administered L-tryptophan or L-5-hydroxytryptophan and raphe unit activity in the rat, Neuropharmacol., 15: 339.
van Praag, H.M., Flentge, F., Korf, J., Dols, L.C.W., and Schut, T., 1973, The influence of probenecid on the metabolism of serotonin, dopamine and their precursors in man, Psychopharmacol., 33: 141.
Walinder, J., Skott, A., Carlsson, A., Nagy, A., and Roos, B.E., 1976, Potentiation of the antidepressant action of clomipramine by tryptophan, Arch. Gen. Psychiat., 33: 1384.
Winston, F., 1975, Treatment of unipola~ depression, Lancet, ii: 868.
Wirz-Justice, A., 1977, Theoretical and therapeutic potential of indoleamine precursors, Neuropsychobiol., 3: 199.
Wolf, H., 1973, Studies on tryptophan metabolism in man, Scand. Scand.J. Clin. Lab. Invest., supplement 136: 1
Young, S.N., and Sourkes, T.L., 1974, The antidepressant action of tryptophan, Lancet, ii: 897.
Young, S.N., and Sourkes, T.L., 1975, Tryptophan catabolism by tryptophan pyrrolase in rat liver: the effect of tryptophan loads and changes in tryptophan pyrrolase activity, J. Biol. Chem. 250: 5009.
Young, S.N., and Sourkes, T.L., 1977, Tryptophan in the central nervous system: regulation and significance, in: “Advances in Neurochemistry, Vol. 2”, B.W. Agraroff and M.H. Aprison, eds., Springer Science+Business Media New York.
Young, S.N., St-Arnaud-McKenzie, D., and Sourkes, T.L., 1978, The importance of aromatic amino acid decarboxylase and tryptophan pyrrolase in the catabolism of tryptophan, Biochem. Pharmacol., 27: 763.
Young, S.N., Anderson, G.M., Gauthier, S., and Purdy, W.C., 1979, The origin of indoleacetic acid and indolepropionic acid in rat and human cerebrospinal fluid, J. Neurochem., in press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1981 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Young, S.N., Chouinard, G., Annable, L. (1981). Tryptophan in the Treatment of Depression. In: Haber, B., Gabay, S., Issidorides, M.R., Alivisatos, S.G.A. (eds) Serotonin. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 133. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-3860-4_40
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-3860-4_40
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-3862-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-3860-4
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive