Posted by Scott L. Schofield on December 18, 1999, at 18:32:51
In reply to Re: Parnate: weight gain, & the literature - Zeke, posted by Elizabeth on December 15, 1999, at 21:10:30
> Does anyone know what happened to clorgyline, though? Was it ever marketed for clinical use?Clorgyline is suppose to be the most "potent" MAOI in the world according to NIH clinicians. I was there. It was considered to be their "ace-in-the-hole" when it came to treatment-resistant depressions - bipolar or unipolar. It was also looked at for ADHD, with some success. Clorgyline is a specific, irreversible MAO-A inhibitor. It has been used for many years as a biological probe and is considered a paradigm for MAO-A investigations.
I have heard nothing regarding the marketing of clorgyline. It was provided to the NIH by the chemical company who manufactured it. As of 1993, there had been a handful of people who had been depression-free for up to ten years on clorgyline. Of all the MAO-inhibitors that I have tried, clorgyline provided me with the most relief. Unfortunately, the FDA protocol did not allow for the combining of any other drugs, with the exception of lithium. Also, moclobemide produced an improvement early on that felt very much like clorgyline before it severely exacerbated my depression. It is noteworthy to emphasize that both clorgyline and moclobemide are selective for the MAO-A enzyme. MAO-A inhibition is thought to be the mechanism by which these drugs exert their antidepressant effects. In a conversation I had with William Z. Potter, he stated that he believed the concomitant inhibition of MAO-B was actually counterproductive.
I don't believe you will ever see clorgyline marketed anywhere in the world. This is a shame because so many people would benefit from it who have been unresponsive to anything else. Perhaps a drug company might entertain the idea if enough people were to petition them for it. I do think it would have a market at least as big as Parnate or Nardil, especially since these drugs now seem to be used more often.
- Scott
poster:Scott L. Schofield
thread:9748
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19991212/msgs/17113.html