Dimetacrine

Dimetacrine

Clinical data
Routes of administration	Oral
ATC code	N06AA18 (WHO)
Legal status
Legal status	℞ (Prescription only)
Identifiers
IUPAC name 3-(9,9-dimethylacridin-10-yl)-N,N-dimethyl-propan-1-amine
CAS Number	4757-55-5
PubChem (CID)	94280
DrugBank	DB08996
ChemSpider	85085
UNII	O341NY501N
KEGG	D02565
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C20H26N2
Molar mass	294.43 g/mol
3D model (Jmol)	Interactive image
SMILES CC1(C2=CC=CC=C2N(C3=CC=CC=C31)CCCN(C)C)C

Dimetacrine (Istonil, Istonyl, Linostil, Miroistonil), also known as dimethacrine and acripramine, is a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) used in Europe and formerly in Japan for the treatment of depression.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} It has imipramine-like effects; though, in a double-blind clinical trial against imipramine, dimetacrine was found to have lower efficacy in comparison and produced more weight loss and abnormal liver tests.^[6][7] Little is known about the pharmacology of dimetacrine, but it can be inferred that it acts in a similar manner to other TCAs. If this is indeed the case, dimetacrine may induce severe cardiac toxicity in overdose (a side effect unique to the tricyclic class of antidepressants).

References

1. Dictionary of organic compounds. London: Chapman & Hall. 1996. ISBN 0-412-54090-8.
2. Affective disorders: perspective on ... - Google Books.
3. José Miguel Vela; Helmut Buschmann; Jörg Holenz; Antonio Párraga; Antoni Torrens (2007). Antidepressants, Antipsychotics, Anxiolytics: From Chemistry and Pharmacology to Clinical Application. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. ISBN 3-527-31058-4.
4. Taen S, Pöldinger W (December 1966). "[Dimethacrine (istonil), an acridane derivative with the antidepressive action]". Schweizerische Medizinische Wochenschrift (in German). 96 (48): 1616–20. PMID 6008540.
5. Meyer R (May 1968). "[Contribution to the clinical evaluation of the antidepressive effect of dimethacrine (Istonil)]". Praxis (in German). 57 (20): 721–3. PMID 5756370.
6. Abuzzahab FS (November 1973). "A double-blind investigation of dimethacrine versus imipramine in hospitalized depressive states". International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Therapy and Toxicology. 8 (3): 244–53. PMID 4149236.
7. Mutschler, Ernst; Derendorf, Hartmut (1995). Drug actions: basic principles and therapeutic aspects. Stuttgart, Germany: Medpharm Scientific Pub. ISBN 0-8493-7774-9. Retrieved January 30, 2013.