 Stablon Articles
Stablon - calmness with fewer side effects
Stablon - Address anxiety and depression without feeling sedated. What is Stablon? Anti-depressant Stablon has attracted the interest of the medical community for two key reasons – it works in a novel way and appears to produce fewer side effects to common anti-depressants. Stablon increases our body’s uptake, or absorption, of the important neurotransmitter serotonin – which helps to regulate mood. This contrasts with common anti-depressants such as Prozac and Paxil, which instead work to maximise serotonin levels by blocking their uptake. Research has yet to establish exactly why Stablon produces the same effect whilst acting in the opposite way to common anti-depressants. However, it is known to act without certain side effects. – in particular loss of libido/sexual appetite, drowsiness and weight gain in the majority of cases. Stablon was developed in France by Laboratoires Servier and is also known as tianeptine. How does Stablon work? In medical terms, Stablon is known as a selective serotonin reuptake enhancer (SSRE), in contrast to the likes of Prozac which are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Whilst common serotonin reuptake inhibitors like Prozac and Paxil try to keep as much existing serotonin as possible in circulation in the body, Stablon does the opposite. It actually works to take serotonin out of circulation by stimulating the uptake of this important neurotransmitter, with the aim of reducing the body’s brain and hormonal response to stress. How effective is Stablon? New York psychiatrist Richard Brown MD, one of the most famous psychiatrists in the US, has reported encouraging results using Stablon with his patients. Dr Brown found that it does not cause sexual dysfunction or weight gain, and can help across a range of depressive conditions – from anxiety to serious depression. Citing the last 20 patients he had treated with the drug, he found that 15 had experienced good responses with virtually no side effects. Dr.Brown highlighted a number cases to illustrate the type of situations where Stablon had been effective. One case involved a 50 year old married woman with a lifelong history of depression and anxiety, which included extreme anxiety triggered by flying and a fear about having cancer. Dr.Brown noted that, while the patient responded reasonably well to treatment using serotonin inhibitors (SSRIs) including fluoxetine/Prozac and paroxetine, she found side effects of weight gain and loss of sex drive to be intolerable. Her weight gain continued despite dieting and regular exercise, but using Stablon the patient returned to her normal body weight and reported being far happier on this medication. Another case highlighted by Dr Brown involved a single woman in her 40s with mood instability and dysthymic disorder (a chronic, long term form of depression), coupled with recurrent major depression. Treatment with all available classes of anti-depressants and mood stabilizers had not been effective. Dr Brown reported that the patient had the first good treatment response in her life to Stablon and was consistently much better using this drug. Dr.Brown commented: “I must congratulate the French on finding an anti-depressant that would help the serotonin system while allowing patients to enjoy both sex and food freely.” A French overview of clinical trials into tianeptine/Stablon by Wilde, Benfield and others found that 78 per cent of patients were evaluated as ‘responders’ following treatment with Stablon. The study also examined long term trials involving Stablon and elderly people – including the treatment of anxiety and somatic health complaints (conditions such as insomnia and fatigue which are commonly associated with depression). It found that Stablon was effective in the treatment of these conditions, making it suitable across the entire range of depressive illnesses and symptoms. This led the survey to suggest that Stablon could be placed in a middle position in the bipolar (depressive illness) medical classification, between the sedative and stimulant anti-depressants. Stablon’s wide ranging appeal has also been endorsed by respected US physician Robert Mason. In a review of the new generation of brain drugs and anti-depressants, he concluded that Stablon “is a new and novel serotonin drug – its anti-depressant and anxiolytic [anti-anxiety] properties and its action on somatic complaints makes the drug particularly suitable for the treatment of the entire range of depressive symptomatology [diseases and their symptoms].” As a further indication of its ability to tackle a range of conditions, Dr Mason noted trials that pointed towards the drug’s effectiveness in the treatment of depressed patients who suffered from anxiety, while Stablon also appeared to aid their sleep. Research evaluating Stablon against other ‘standard’ anti-depressants, including a study by Loo, Saiz-Ruiz and others comparing it with fluoxetine / Prozac, point towards good levels of effectiveness and safety. Is Stablon beneficial for anything else? Research has also shown Stablon’s success in treating depression and erectile dysfunction. The Elixir study, carried out in 2006 and involving younger men with a mean age of 36 taking Stablon for eight weeks, found that more than 72 per cent of the group responded to Stablon treatment. Respondents reported lower levels of anxiety and depression and improvements in erectional difficulties, with almost 90 per cent of patients stating that it improved their ability to have sex. What is the dosage for Stablon? A typical dosage for Stablon is 12.5 mg , taken two or three times a day. A word of caution Like most anti-depressants, Stablon could interfere with other anti-depressant medications , particularly Monoamine Oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (including Gerovital-H3) and other serotonin inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac. Therefore, If you intend to combine Stablon with any other anti-depressants, this should only be done under the guidance of a physician. Does Stablon have any side effects? It has been reported that the list of side effects for Stablon is very short in comparison to many other standard anti-depressants. Possible side effects include dry mouth, anorexia, nausea, flatulence and gastralgia (stomach ache). In rare cases, where the drug has been taken in the late evening, insomnia and nightmares have been reported. Further rare side effects include feeling dizzy and faint and repertory discomfort. 
Stablon (chemical name, Tianeptine) was first manufactured in the early 1980s by French researchers Antoine Deslandes and Michael Spedding. Stablon is what is referred to as a selective serotonin re-uptake enhancer (SSRE). It is commonly prescribed as an anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medication, as it improves the availability and uptake of serotonin. It is thought to reverse neuronal damage caused by persistent, uncontrolled stress, and is non-sedating. While Stablon is believed to have strong anti-depressant properties, fewer side effects have been noted than with the more commonly prescribed anti-depressants. It differs in the way it is metabolized by the body, and as such, there is less likelihood of drug to drug interactions. Accordingly, it has been suggested that it may be particularly suitable for elderly patients and for those suffering alcohol withdrawal, as these patients tend to be more sensitive to the effects of psychotropic drugs. It is also used for treating major depression and depressed bipolar disorder. Stablon is not known to interfere with the libido and, as is common with other anti-depressant medications, it does not normally impair cognitive function. Other Benefits Research now suggests that Stablon is very effective for treating asthma. In 1998, Dr. Fuad Lechin and colleagues from the Central University of Venezuela Institute of Experimental Medicine, published the results of a year long randomized controlled trial involving asthmatic children. The study confirmed that those children who received Stablon experienced a dramatic decline in clinical rating, and improved lung function. Furthermore, a study undertaken in 2005 illustrated that Stablon was effective in treating men with depression and erectile dysfunction. More recent research is being undertaken in treating Attention Defecit (Hyperactive) Disorder (ADD/ADHD), and a new clinical trial is underway for treating fibromyalgia. 08/05/2007 GI | 
