Tranylcypromine in the office treatment of depression

Summary

During a six-month period, tranylcypromine, a non-hydrazine monoamine oxidase-inhibitor, was used in combination with psychotherapy in the treatment of 37 patients with various types of depression. Thirty patients reponded more rapidly or completely to therapy than is ordinarily expected. Some improvement was usually seen within seven to 10 days, and optimum improvement usually occurred within three weeks.

The results of this study indicate that tranylcypromine is particularly useful in the treatment of patients with psychoneurotic depressive reactions. Although it was apparently less effective in the treatment of other depressive states, the number of patients treated is too small to permit any definite conclusions concerning its value in these areas. Tranylcypromine produced no toxic liver effects or other alarming side reactions in this series of patients, but a clear picture of the drug's safety will not be available until it has received much more extensive use.