Combination of antidepressant drugs: The case of inositol

Inositol is a second messenger precursor that is effective in depression an d obsessive-compulsive disorder via a mechanism different from serotonin re uptake inhibitors. However, controlled trials of inositol combined with ser otonin reuptake inhibitors in depression or in reuptake inhibitor resistant depressed patients, or in partially responsive obsessive-compulsive patien ts, did not reveal added benefit. This is comparable to results with combin ations of other antidepressant treatments, such as tricyclics plus monoamin e oxidase inhibitors. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.