Desipramine

Mean total clearance, measured after 5 days of 100 mg oral admission of desipramine from plasma was significantly higher in U.S. Caucasians (123 +/- 57 l/h) than in the Chinese (73.5 +/- 38.8 1/h),P < 0.05. 29% of the Chinese and 0% of the U.S. Caucasians demonstrated slow clearance (< 33 1/h) suggesting that a considarable percentage of Chinese would be at risk for toxicity with routine doses. Area Under the Curve was significantly higher among Chinese (946 ng/ml h) compared to the US Caucasians (654 ng/ml h).

(N = 30; Healthy volunteers: 14 Chinese (14) and 16 U.S. Caucasians (16). Chinese: mean time in US was 4.2 years; 1 born in US; 10 were natives of China, 3 of Taiwan and one of Hong Kong). Rudorfer et al., 1984.