A New Therapeutic Approach for Treating DEPRESSION. NADH is a safe, potent, biological (natural) ANTIDEPRESSIVE Agent.
Experience with 205 Patients

• Document cataloged:
  Dr. JGD Birkmayer, Dr. W. Birkmayer
  Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) -
  a new therapeutic approach for treating Depression
  Experience with 205 patients.
  New Trends in Clinical Neuropharmacology 1992 .
• Clinical research address:
  Birkmayer Institute for Parkinson Therapy, Schwarzpanierstrasse 15, A-1090
  Vienna, Austria

Authors:

• Dr. J.G.D. Birkmayer with the Birkmayer Institute for Parkinson Therapy, Vienna, Austria
• Dr. W. Birkmayer with the Birkmayer Institute for Parkinson Therapy, Vienna, Austria

SUMMARY:
The coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) has been used in an open label trial as medication in 205 patients suffering from depression with various clinical symptoms. NADH was given orally, intramuscularly or intravenously. The duration of therapy ranged from 5 to 310 days. 93 % of the patients exhibited a beneficial clinical effect. An improvement up to 44 with a mean value of 11.5 was observed.

INTRODUCTION:
Depression is a neuro-psychiatric disorder which disturbs the behavior, the physical and mental activity, the emotional effectiveness and many other features which are essential for an active life with a balanced mood. A number of studies revealed that certain neurotransmitters, in particular norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin and their metabolites play a role in the evolving depressive symptoms ( ^{10, 11, 14, 20} ).

Post mortem biochemical analysis of the brain of depressive patients found changes in the neurotransmitter concentration of norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin. They were significantly reduced in nucleus ruber, nucleus caudatus and nucleus anygdalae ( ¹⁹ ). These changes in neurotransmitter concentrations may be responsible for an intra-neuronal dysfunction which may be reflected in the variety of clinical symptoms.

It has been observed that many Parkinsonian patients suffer from depressive symptoms ( ^{3, 4} ). There are several reports on the improvement of depression after L-DOPA medication ( ^{9, 12, 13} ).

When treating our Parkinsonian patients with the new medication Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) we observed that the depressive symptoms disappeared. This observation prompted us to study the clinical effect of NADH on patients suffering from psychic depression.

METHODS
In an open label trail 205 patients suffering from depression have been treated with the coenzyme B-Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide in its reduced form (NADH). Diagnosis and the grade of severity of the depression were established according to the depression scale of Ambrozi - Birkmayer - Neumayer ( ² ).

NADH was given parenterally as well as orally. The parenteral form was applied either intravenously or intramuscularly. NADH (Synonyms: BNADH, reduced DPN, B-DPNH) was obtained from Boehringer Mannheim (Germany). For the i.m. injection 12.5 mg NADH were dissolved in 5 ml 0.98 percent sodium chloride, pH 7.4, filtered through a 0.22 mcm Millipore filter and then applied.

For i.v. application 12.5 mg NADH were dissolved in 5 ml 0.9 percent sodium chloride, pH 7.4, filtered through a 0.22 mcm Millipore filter and intravenously infused in 30 minutes.

The oral form consisted of film coated tablets with 5 mg of NADH in each tablet.

. . . continued on the next page