The Clinical Evaluation of Four Proposed Antidepressants Relationship to their Animal Pharmacology

Abstract

Four new compounds, all fulfilling antidepressant criteria in preclinical animal studies, are reviewed. These compounds, AHR-800B, WIN 25,978, BC-347, and MJ-1986, were used to treat 36 depressed hospitalized patients. 27 were endogenous depressions, all were seen by two senior psychiatrists, and were evaluated with a variety of established rating scales to determine drug effects. The findings showed poor correlations between preclinical animal testing and subsequent clinical effects. BC-347, for example, tested as a tranquilizer, was a stimulant clinically. Moreover, a laboratory stimulant (MJ-1986) had no antidepressant properties clinically, although it had stimulant properties. Rating scales showed poor correlations with clinical global impressions. Improvement scores on Hamilton and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scales for AHR-800B and WIN 25,978 did not necessarily indicate that a patient was meaningfully improved clinically, or that a compound was an effective antidepressant.