Combination of antidepressant drugs: the case of inositol

Inositol is a second messenger precursor that is effective in depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder via a mechanism different from serotonin reuptake inhibitors. However, controlled trials of inositol combined with serotonin reuptake inhibitors in depression or in reuptake inhibitor resistant depressed patients, or in partially responsive obsessive-compulsive patients, did not reveal added benefit. This is comparable to results with combinations of other antidepressant treatments, such as tricyclics plus monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.