At Last, A Safe And Effective Anti-Depressant!

Milnacipran (Ixel) is the first of a new category of antidepressants known as Norepinephrine Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (or NSRI's). It strongly inhibits the re-uptake of both serotonin and noradrenaline levels without causing side effects. Extensive studies have been undertaken, and to date, clearly illustrate its efficacy in both moderate and severe depression within hospitals and community settings.

Milnacipran is quite different from Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac®, and Selective Norepinephrine Re-uptake Inhibitors (SNRIs) like Effexor. Milnacipran influences the two neurotransmitters, norepinephrine and serotonin, almost equally (in a 3:1 ratio). In contrast, SNRIs tend to affect serotonin more than norepinephrine.

Furthermore, many SSRIs have unpleasant side effects, including an increase in erectile dysfunction and a decrease in libido (sex drive). There is a wealth of evidence illustrating that drugs that increase either serotonin or norepinephrine alone, are equally effective in treating depression. However, norepinephrine is considered more important in treating pain. Until recently, the most effective way to increase both norepinephrine and serotonin was through administering tricyclic anti-depressants (TCAs).

TCAs also have a range of side effects including dry mouth, fatigue, weight gain, confusion, disorientation, drowsiness and cardiac abnormalities. Milnacipran however, may influence pain mechanisms in a similar manner without the negative side effects.

Controlled trials involving 1032 patients, comparing milnacipran with imipramine have also been the subject of the more comprehensive meta-analyses. Results clearly demonstrate that milnacipran offers antidepressant efficacy similar to that of imipramine and significantly superior to that of the SSRIs. Further, database analysis of over 3300 patients shows that the general and cardiovascular tolerability of milnacipran are greater than those of the tricyclic antidepressants with fewer cholinergic side effects.

As a result, this research highlights Milnacipran as an efficacious and viable therapy for treating depression, as well as conditions like Fibromyalgia and Lupus that are characterized by chronic pain.

Fibromyalgia and Lupus
 

Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is thought to affect roughly 2-4% of the general population. The symptoms of FMS can be incapacitating, and accompanied by severe pain, fatigue and poor sleep. Currently, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not recommend any specific drugs for treating Fibromyalgia. However, patients treated with milnacipran have showed marked improvements in their pain and fatigue levels, and mood, compared with those given a placebo.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Lupus) is an autoimmune disease where the body may attack its own proteins as if they were foreign and dangerous bacteria. Milnacipran trials demonstrate tremendous pain relief in sufferers, as well as a general feeling of well-being. GI 09/20/2007