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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by sukarno on April 15, 2005, at 4:09:53
Hi, I have been doing more research on Stablon (tianeptine), a modified tricyclic antidepressant useful in treating depression and various anxio-depressive states.
Information is hard to come across when it involves medications which are neither FDA-approved nor used in the United States.
Stablon has shown promise in treating not only depression, but also bronchial asthma according to pulmonology specialist Dr. Lechin, M.D. and associates who have done numerous studies on it recently.
Stablon has also been shown to block panic attacks as well as Paxil (paroxetine) when panic disorder patients were exposed to 35% CO2 (carbon dioxide) gas.
The problem is that after doing more research, I have found that Stablon (tianeptine) is closely related to Survector (amineptine), which is known and demonstrated to be toxic to the liver (hepatotoxic). This led to Survector's manufacturer to stop marketing the drug and now it is hard to find.
Stablon was thought to be quite safe, but it too is metabolised in the same way as Survector... broken down into reactive metabolites in the liver. This in turn, in susceptible individuals, can cause death to lymphocytes and liver cells (hepatocellular damage), resulting in hepatitis, cholangitis and necrosis. Often a rash precedes the hepatotoxicity and abrupt discontinuation results in quick recovery.
If anyone else here is taking, or considering to take, Stablon or Survector, please note the following information contained in the abstract below. This is one of many abstracts which demonstrate hepatotoxicity. Those considering taking these drugs should have frequent LFTs (liver function tests) to be on the safer side.
1: J Hepatol. 1994 Nov;21(5):771-3. Related Articles, LinksTianeptine--an instance of drug-induced hepatotoxicity predicted by prospective experimental studies.
Le Bricquir Y, Larrey D, Blanc P, Pageaux GP, Michel H.
Service d'Hepato-gastroenterologie Hopital Saint-Eloi, Montpellier, France.
We report the case of a patient who developed acute hepatitis after taking tianeptine, a new tricyclic antidepressant, for 8 weeks. Hepatitis exhibited cholangitis-like clinical features and was associated with hypersensitivity manifestations suggestive of an immuno-allergic mechanism. Histological examination showed microvesicular steatosis. The discontinuation of tianeptine administration was followed by complete recovery. Immunoallergic hepatitis and microvesicular steatosis were predicted 2 years ago from prospective experimental studies prompted by the similarity of the chemical structures of tianeptine and amineptine, another tricyclic antidepressant, well-known for its hepatotoxicity. Experimentally, tianeptine has been found to be oxidized into reactive metabolites in several rodents and human liver and to produce microvesicular steatosis probably through inhibition of mitochondrial beta-oxidation of fatty acid in mice. This case illustrates the value of prospectively assessing potential hepatotoxicity mechanisms for new compounds chemically related to drugs already known to be hepatotoxic.
Publication Types:
* Case Reports
PMID: 7890892 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Posted by iforgotmypassword on April 15, 2005, at 8:59:14
In reply to Stablon (tianeptine) and hepatotoxicity, posted by sukarno on April 15, 2005, at 4:09:53
i got the impression that it was discontinued due to american administrative bodies labeling it as "abusable", and pressuring other countries to follow their lead. (i'm just an anti-american-policy paranoia-freak though, but hey how can one make money with bright shiny newly *patented* drugs with their unremarkable efficacies, when superior off-patent drugs already exist on the market?)
Posted by The_Resistance on April 15, 2005, at 10:29:41
In reply to huh?, posted by iforgotmypassword on April 15, 2005, at 8:59:14
I also thought that Amneptine was discontinued because it had "Abuse Potential".
Then again like Password I intensly dislike the Medical powers both in the US and the UK!> i got the impression that it was discontinued due to american administrative bodies labeling it as "abusable", and pressuring other countries to follow their lead. (i'm just an anti-american-policy paranoia-freak though, but hey how can one make money with bright shiny newly *patented* drugs with their unremarkable efficacies, when superior off-patent drugs already exist on the market?)
Posted by alienatari on April 16, 2005, at 1:56:48
In reply to huh?, posted by iforgotmypassword on April 15, 2005, at 8:59:14
Me too re amineptine. I have read that the main reason it was taken off the market was abuse potential too. Still available in South America isnt it?
Posted by sukarno on April 16, 2005, at 2:15:25
In reply to Re: huh?, posted by alienatari on April 16, 2005, at 1:56:48
I live in Jakarta, Indonesia and my doctor told me I can get Survector here. I don't know if it is being produced locally or whether pharmacies are just selling off their remaining stock.
It is $4 for 6 tablets here.The cases of abuse were low compared to the number of people on it. Only 550 people in France abused it and most of them were addiction-prone individuals who had abused other psychoactive and illegal substances previously.
Even with Stablon (tianeptine), a few people have abused it and it was designated a controlled substance in one of the middle eastern countries.
I really hate it when people abuse medications, because then the rest of us who really need it then won't be able to get it. :(
This is the end of the thread.
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