Fixed dose combination dextromethorphan-bupropion: A hope for treatment resistant depression (TRD).
Ranjan Das, Rajarshi Chakravarty, Varaha V Gantait, Subir Bhattacharjee
Indian journal of psychiatry June 1, 2025 DOI: 10.4103/indianjpsychiatry_315_25 via PubMed
Summary
About 30% of people with depression do not respond to two adequate trials of antidepressants from different classes, a condition known as treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Existing options for TRD include olanzapine-fluoxetine, rTMS, intravenous ketamine, and electroconvulsive therapy. The newer antidepressant dextromethorphan-bupropion has been found effective, fast-acting, and well tolerated for depression. In three cases of TRD, this medication, used alone or in combination, produced satisfactory improvement within two weeks.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 3 |
| Population | Patients with treatment-resistant depression |
| Intervention | Dextromethorphan-bupropion |
| Duration | 2 weeks |
| Topics | Depression |
| Keywords | Dextromethorphan-bupropion Treatment resistant depression Severe depression New approach Potential solution |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key finding | Dextromethorphan-bupropion produced satisfactory response within two weeks in three cases of treatment-resistant depression. |
Abstract
Treatment resistant depression (TRD) has been identified as non-response to depression with adequate dose and trial of two antidepressant medications of different classes. Near about 30% depressive patients are TRD cases. Olanzapine-fluoxetine combination, rTMS, Intravenous ketamine and Electroconvulsive therapy have been till now studied in TRD. Dextromethorphan-bupropion is a newer antidepressant, which has been found to be effective, fast-acting, and well tolerated medicine for depression. We used this novel antidepressant in three cases of TRD, alone and with combination, and it showed satisfactory response within 2 weeks.