A tricyclic dibenzazepine compound that potentiates neurotransmission.
Desipramine selectively blocks reuptake of norepinephrine from the neural synapse,
and also appears to impair serotonin transport. This compound also possesses minor
anticholinergic activity,
through its affinity to muscarinic receptors.
Depression
Depressive states usually of moderate intensity in
contrast with major depression present in neurotic and psychotic disorders.
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Articles]
Pharmacologic Action
Tricyclic Antidepressive Agent
Substances that contain a fused three-ring moiety and are used in the treatment
of depression. These drugs block the uptake of norepinephrine and serotonin into
axon terminals and may block some subtypes of serotonin, adrenergic, and histamine
receptors. However the mechanism of their antidepressant effects is not clear
because the therapeutic effects usually take weeks to
develop and may reflect compensatory changes in the central nervous system.
Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitor
Drugs that block the transport of adrenergic transmitters into axon terminals
or into storage vesicles within terminals. The tricyclic antidepressants
and amphetamines are among the therapeutically important drugs that may act via
inhibition of adrenergic transport.
Many of these drugs also block transport of serotonin.
Free Full Text
05 Jul 2008
National Patterns of Medication Treatment for Depression, 1987 to 2001
We investigated trends in antidepressant use, as well as broader changes in depression treatment,
following the availability of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Using data from the National Disease and Therapeutic Index, a nationally representative
survey of U.S. office-based physicians conducted by IMS HEALTH, we analyzed trends in
antidepressant prescribing patterns from 1987 through the third quarter of 2001.
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