A Controlled Study of Nortriptyline and Imipramine

A double-blind comparison was made of the secondary amine, nortriptyline, and the tertiary amine, imipramine, in female outpatients with a primary depressive illness. There was no significant difference in the overall response between the two drugs, although other differences were found. It was not possible to confirm clinically the hypothesis that the action of the tertiary amines is medicated through secondary amine derivatives and that tertiary amine configuration is associated with tranquilization and secondary amine configuration with thymoleptic activity.