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Medical researchers reviewing the uses of the antidepressant drug doxepin hydrochloride reported that the drug may have additional potential in the treatment of chronic pain and peptic ulcer disease.
Pain and depression often coincide. Chronic pain states can cause depression and depression itself often is associated with chronic pain complaints. The use of an antidepressant drug to treat these types of pain states is very promising, according to the researchers. They believe that the drug causes the body to release enkephalin peptides, the body's natural painkillers.
In a double-blind study it was found that, when compared to pretreatment levels, patients treated with doxepin hydrochloride had increased enkephalin levels, while those treated with a placebo had decreased levels. Doxepin is one...