A clinical trial comparing nomifensine and nortriptyline

A double-blind study which compared the effects of nomifensine and nortriptyline was carried out in outpatients with retarded depressions. It demonstrated that nomifensine has distinct antidepressive and activating effects. 40 patients (17 male and 23 female) with either endogenous, endogenous/reactive or reactive depression were divided into two treatment groups of 20. During the 21-day study, all patients were given three 50-mg capsules of either nomifensine or nortriptyline per day. With the aid of a depression scale, devised by Pöldinger, a significant improvement in the psychic symptoms was noted both in the nomifensine and in the nortriptyline group. There was no evidence of a significant difference between the two drugs. From the results of the study, it can be concluded that nomifensine is suitable for the treatment of patients with retarded depressions.