A Comparison of the Cardiovascular Effects and Subjective Tolerability of Binedaline and Amitriptylene in Healthy Volunteers

Binedaline is a new antidepressant drug which is not a tricyclic compound. In animal investigations it showed a greater therapeutic index than imipramine and amitriptylene and a smaller ED50. It also showed less anticholinergic and antihistaminic activity. In this study the effects of 100 mg (females) and 150 mg (males) of binedaline was compared with 50 mg and 75 mg of amitriptylene and placebo in healthy volunteers. Binedaline was better tolerated than amitriptylene and produced less sedation and fewer instances of dry mouth. Binedaline was devoid of the marked postural hypotension produced by amitriptylene but caused the same degree of tachycardia as amitriptylene at rest, when subjects were tilted and when subjected to ergometry. It was concluded that binedaline causes less alpha-adrenergic blockade than amitriptylene but that the sympathomimetic effects were similar. At the doses employed no major changes in electrocardiogram or systolic time intervals occurred.