---
title: Do desipramine and methylscopolamine help premenstrual syndrome?
description: Both significantly reduced PMS symptoms compared to baseline with similar effectiveness. The study was very small with no placebo control, making it hard to b
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-syndrome-a-double-blind-controlled-trial-of-desipramine-and-1995/
---

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- Do desipramine and methylscopolamine help premenstrual syndrome?

Randomised trial, 1995

# Do desipramine and methylscopolamine help premenstrual syndrome?

Both significantly reduced PMS symptoms compared to baseline with similar effectiveness. The study was very small with no placebo control, making it hard to be certain of the true effect.

 Moderate study design

14 women with PMS meeting DSM-III-R criteria for late luteal phase dysphoric disorder

## What they did

14 women with PMS received desipramine and methylscopolamine bromide in random order using a double-blind crossover design, with each medication given for 3 months. Assessments were done retrospectively and prospectively.

## What they found

Both desipramine and methylscopolamine significantly reduced PMS symptoms compared to baseline, with no significant difference between them. Findings suggest both anticholinergic and noradrenergic pathways may be involved in PMS.

## What it means for you

Both medications may help PMS symptoms. However, the study was very small (14 patients) and had no placebo control group, so we cannot be sure how much improvement was due to the medication versus other factors or expectations.

14

women with PMS

3 months

duration per medication

double-blind

study design type

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual syndrome: a double-blind controlled trial of desipramine and methylscopolamine Authors Taghavi E, Menkes DB, Howard RC et al. Journal International clinical psychopharmacology Year 1995 Study design Randomised trial What was tested Desipramine versus methylscopolamine bromide Read the paper [doi.org/10.1097/00004850-199506000-00010](https://doi.org/10.1097/00004850-199506000-00010)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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