Use of Imipramine in Diabetics

SEVERAL new drugs for the treatment of depression have been introduced over the past several years. Among them is imipramine hydrochloride (Tofrānil), chemically 5-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-10, 11-dihydro-5 H-dibenz [b, f] azepine hydrochloride. The effectiveness of this drug in the treatment of depression was initially described by Kuhn,¹and later confirmed by others.²⁻³The mechanism of action of the drug has not been established, but structurally it is similar to drugs with a phenothiazine base. During the treatment of several mildly diabetic patients who were also depressed, we observed a diminution of glycosuria concomitant with the administration of imipramine, with a return to premedication levels of glycosuria when use of the imipramine was discontinued. We have now noted this effect in 5 subjects, 4 of whom were depressed, while the 5th was not. These clinical observations seemed sufficiently important to warrant further study, especially since it is only in the past