Posted by psychobot5000 on May 20, 2012, at 20:08:42
In reply to Re: Flowering Quince: dopamine reuptake inhibitor » psychobot5000, posted by SLS on May 20, 2012, at 5:07:42
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> This is a total guess, but adding desipramine, a NRI TCA, to the Quince might produce a more stable antidepressant response. I am basing this on the therapeutic properties of nominfensine, a DRI/NRI.Hi Scott!
Very interesting idea! Definitely something to keep in mind, though I think I agree that it's something to maybe try a little way down the line, depending on how this agent functions alone. I wonder, though, how well one would actually be able to mimic nomifensine through such a combination--I have the impression that classifications like 'dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor' are really very crude, and tend to obscure the details of how a specific agent functions in the CNS and achieves its actual therapeutic results. All that said, desipramine seems doable in this case, and it's probably a good idea to keep in mind, especially as amineptine, nomifensine and minaprine are all off the damned market.
>Once sold under the trade name, Merital, it [nomifensine] helped some people who were otherwise TRD. It is the only drug they ever responded to.Unfortunately, it was withdrawn from the market worldwide due to the emergence of a rare occurrence of hemolytic anemia. I get the impression that nomefensine was more effective than amineptine, a selective DRI.
>I've gotten that same impression (I've also taken amineptine, and was not really blown away by its effects--though there ought to be a role for it in mental health treatment because of its benign side-effect profile). At times in the past, I've been looking around for something that would help my unipolar depression [probably] associated with dysfunction in dopamine circuits and gotten very frustrated that no one saw fit to leave nomifensine on the market for TRD--perhaps with mandated periodic blood testing for safety.
Interestingly, while sources differ to some extent, amineptine seems to have had some effect on the NA system as well.
> Anyway, if the [Flowering] Quince gives you transient improvements - much like amphetamine would - you might think of it more as an augmenter of antidepressants than a core treatment.>
I think that hypothesis may prove accurate. As of today (which is only day 2), the flowering quince seems to have some of the properties of a mild psychostimulant--I'm more energetic, social, assertive and talkative--though it also has some positive effects on mood and interest that seem distinct from anything I get from methylphenidate and dexedrine or adderall. Anyway, I will probably keep taking this for at least 4 weeks, and certainly keep you and anyone else interested updated in this space, though it may be a few days before I next update--I want to get a better sense of appropriate dosing, as well as take some time to get a sense of its effects over the course of a few days at least, and without complications like alcohol (not used to being in such a good mood, I celebrated a bit).
> However, if I were you, I would continue your experiment with Quince monotherapy unless intolerable physical or psychiatric side effects emerge. How long were you thinking of giving it? Six weeks?
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> While it is on my mind, have you ever tried low-dosage lithium (150 - 450 mg) as an augmenter?
>I have tried lithium, some years ago--I don't remember the dosage--and it didn't seem to do anything for me, unfortunately, other than sort of flatten out my mood and make me thirsty.
> Co-Q10? - allows the body to more effectively utilize ATP energy.
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> NAC? - produces glutathione, an neural antioxident.
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> Alpha Lipoic Acid? - produces both of the effects described above.
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> Deplin (L-methylfolate)? - helps the body manufacture neurotransmitters. It also lowers homocysteine levels to promote cardiovascular health.
>Hmm. I may have tried the first two: Co-Q10 and NAC--it's been years since I tried such alternative methods, as they didn't seem to do anything for me, and I don't remember them well any more. Was there a particular reason you were wondering?
> Please report the results of your experiment. It would be valuable information.
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>Will do!
Thanks for your suggestions and insight,
-Pb
poster:psychobot5000
thread:1017886
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20111229/msgs/1018324.html