EFFECTIVENESS AND TOLERANCE OF THE HYPERICUM PREPARATION LI-160 COMPARED TO MAPROTILINE - MULTICENTER DOUBLE-BLIND-STUDY WITH 102 DEPRESSIVE PATIENTS

A randomized double blind study examining the effectiveness and tolerance of a standardized hypericum preparation when compared to Maprotiline was performed in a group of 102 patients with depression, in accordance with ICD-10, F 32.1. The study was conducted in the offices of neurology and psychiatry specialists. The patients received, over a period of four weeks, either 3 x 300 mg of the hypericum extract or 3 x 25 mg Maprotiline pills of identical appearance. The evaluation of the effectiveness was performed using the Hamilton Depressions-Scale (HAMD), the depressions scale according to von Zerssen (D-Si and the Clinical Global impressions Scale (CGI). The total score of the HAMD-Scale dropped during the four weeks' therapy in both treatment groups by about 50 %. The mean values of the D-S-Scale and the CGI-Scale showed similar results and after four weeks of therapy no significant differences in either treatment group were noticed. The onset of the effects ocurred up to the second week of treatment, but could be observed earlier with Maprotiline rather than the hypericum extract. On the other hand the Maprotiline treatment resulted in more cases oi tiredness, mouth dryness and heart complaints.