Depression, Comorbidities, and Prescriptions of Antidepressants in a German Network of GPs and Specialists with Subspecialisation in Anthroposophic Medicine: A Longitudinal Observational Study

Table 2

Top 10 of prescribed antidepressants.

Rank	Substance	ATC	Type	𝑁	%	Cum %
1	Hypericum perforatum	N06AP	Phytoceutical^1	1180	44.6	44.6
2	Amitriptyline	N06AA09	NSMRI	426	16.1	60.7
3	Mirtazapine	N06AX11	NaSSA	200	7.6	68.3
4	Citalopram	N06AB04	SSRI	197	7.4	75.7
5	Doxepin	N06AA12	NSMRI	140	5.3	81.0
6	Opipramol	N06AA05	TCAs^2	104	3.9	85.0
7	Venlafaxine	N06AX16	SSNRI	69	2.6	87.6
8	Trimipramine	N06AA06	NSMRI	52	2.0	89.5
9	Fluoxetine	N06AB03	SSRI	51	1.9	91.5
10	Paroxetine	N06AB05	SSRI	46	1.7	93.2
11–28	Other < 1.7%^3			138	9.4	100.0
Total				2645	100.0	100.0

MAOIs: nonselective, monoamine oxidase A inhibitors; NaSSAs: noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressants; NSMRIs: non-selective monoamine reuptake inhibitors; TCAs: tricyclic antidepressants; SSRIs: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; SSNRIs: selective serotonin and noradrenergic reuptake inhibitors.
¹Two of the primary active constituents of Hypericum perforatum are hyperforin and adhyperforin. Hyperforin and adhyperforin are wide-spectrum inhibitors of the reuptake of serotonin, noradrenaline, glutamate, dopamine, and GABA.
²Although opipramol is a member of the tricyclic antidepressants, today it is typically used in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorders (GAD).
³Others drugs: for example, Bupropion (NDRIs: noradrenergic and dopaminergic reuptake inhibitors) and nefazodone (DSAs: dual serotonergic antidepressants).