Summary
Imipramine has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). No registered clinical trial in this database tests Imipramine specifically in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The evidence below comes from published literature only, so any clinical signal has not yet been tested prospectively against this condition in a registered study. The literature layer holds 6 publications for this pair: 1 Cochrane review and 5 clinical trial publications. Publication years run from 1995 to 2017. Because at least one synthesis-level source exists (systematic review, meta-analysis or Cochrane review), this pair has been assessed beyond single studies, although the synthesis may concern a different indication.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Irritable Bowel Syndrome ranks 228 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: IBS is chronic and remitting; spontaneous 'remission' (symptom resolution without treatment) in ~30-40% at 2 years but symptom recurrence common; 10-20% develop persistent daily symptoms; <10% achieve permanent remission.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 35.0 (trials 0.0, literature 15.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 0 total: 0 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 0 completed, 0 other |
| Linked publications | 6 (5 clinical trial publications, 1 Cochrane review) |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | Not recorded |
| Data sources | Open Targets, ChEMBL |
| Linked via biomarker / target | ADORA2A |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
No registered trial links Imipramine to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in the current OSMF trial extract.
Published literature
- Clinical trial publication Imipramine versus placebo for multiple functional somatic syndromes (STreSS-3): a double-blind, randomised studyAgger JL, Schröder A, Gormsen LK et al. · The lancet. Psychiatry · 2017 · PMID 28408193
- Clinical trial publication A randomized controlled trial of imipramine in patients with irritable bowel syndromeAbdul-Baki H, El Hajj II, Elzahabi L et al. · World journal of gastroenterology · 2009 · PMID 19653341
- Cochrane review Efficacy of tricyclic antidepressants in irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysisRahimi R, Nikfar S, Rezaie A et al. · World journal of gastroenterology · 2009 · PMID 19340896
- Clinical trial publication Antidepressant therapy (imipramine and citalopram) for irritable bowel syndrome: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trialTalley NJ, Kellow JE, Boyce P et al. · Digestive diseases and sciences · 2008 · PMID 17503182
- Clinical trial publication Tricyclic antidepressants for functional nausea and vomiting: clinical outcome in 37 patientsPrakash C, Lustman PJ, Freedland KE et al. · Digestive diseases and sciences · 1998 · PMID 9753257
- Clinical trial publication Effect of a tricyclic antidepressant on small intestinal motility in health and diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndromeGorard DA, Libby GW, Farthing MJ · Digestive diseases and sciences · 1995 · PMID 7821126
Mechanism and notes
No mechanism of action is recorded for this pair in the source databases.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL, in this case via the biomarker or target ADORA2A. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Imipramine approved for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?
Imipramine has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Imipramine in clinical trials for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?
No registered clinical trial in this database tests Imipramine specifically in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The evidence below comes from published literature only, so any clinical signal has not yet been tested prospectively against this condition in a registered study.
What does the evidence show for Imipramine in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?
Synthesis-level literature links Imipramine to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), but no registered trial in this database tests the pair, so the evidence is observational, pooled from other indications, or pre-dates registry practice. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL, in this case via the biomarker or target ADORA2A. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-05. Page built 2026-10-07.