A Pilot Study on Effect of add-on Sulforaphane to SSRIs and Application of Niacin Skin Flush Response Test in Major Depressive Disorder

A 12-week, randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted to explore the effect of add-on sulforaphane (SFN) to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for major depressive disorder (MDD). This study also aims to explore the value of niacin skin flush response test in MDD. One hundred adults diagnosed with MDD will be recruited. Then all the patients will be randomly assigned to SSRI only group and SSRI plus SFN group. Clinical symptoms and side-effects will be evaluated using the 17-Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (17-HDRS), the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale (TESS), and Asberg's Rating Scale for Side Effects (SERS) at baseline and weeks 2, 4, 8 and 12 after treatment. Fifty healthy subjects will be recruited as control group. For all subjects, testing of niacin skin flush response and serum levels of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2(Nrf-2), p-Nrf2, Heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1), malondialdehyde (MDA) and erythrocyte glutathion peroxidase (GPX) will be performed at baseline and endpoint. The primary outcome is the reduction rate in 17-HDRS total score from baseline to the end of the study. The secondary outcomes include changes in niacin skin flush response test and levels of serum markers. All the data will be analyzed by SPSS software.