Antidepressants and mood stabilizers

Agomelatine

Agomelatine (Valdoxan, Thymanax) is a melatonin MT1/MT2 agonist and 5-HT2C antagonist antidepressant approved in Europe in 2009 for major depressive episodes in adults, taken 25–50 mg at bedtime with mandatory liver monitoring.

Amibegron

Amibegron (SR 58611, SR58611A) is Sanofi's discontinued selective, brain-penetrant beta3-adrenoceptor agonist investigated for depression, anxiety, IBS, and obesity; Phase III development ended in 2008.

Amineptine

Amineptine, sold as Survector, is an atypical tricyclic antidepressant with stimulant properties that works on dopamine. Introduced in France in 1978, it was withdrawn over liver toxicity and abuse.

Amitriptyline

Amitriptyline (Elavil) is a tricyclic antidepressant approved by the FDA in 1961, used for depression and off-label or licensed for migraine prevention, neuropathic pain, and nocturnal enuresis, with marked anticholinergic side effects.

Amitriptylinoxide

Amitriptylinoxide (amitriptyline N-oxide; Ambivalon, Amioxid) is a tricyclic antidepressant prodrug of amitriptyline introduced in Europe in the 1970s, with weaker muscarinic and alpha-receptor affinity and a 1.5-hour elimination half-life.

Amoxapine

Amoxapine (Asendin, Lederle) is a dibenzoxazepine antidepressant approved by FDA in 1980 (NDA 018021), now discontinued in the US; unlike other tricyclics it blocks dopamine receptors via 7-hydroxyamoxapine, causing neuroleptic-type effects.

Antidepressant

Antidepressants are prescription medicines, mainly SSRIs, SNRIs, NDRIs, TCAs, and MAOIs, used to treat depression and also anxiety, pain, and insomnia; they take 4 to 8 weeks to work and all beat placebo in a 2018 meta-analysis of 522 trials.

Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome

Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome, also called antidepressant withdrawal, causes dizziness, brain zaps, insomnia and flu-like symptoms 36–96 hours after stopping SSRIs, SNRIs, TCAs, or MAOIs; roughly 15% placebo-attributable incidence, worst with paroxetine and venlafaxine, managed by slow hyperbolic tapering per NICE 2023.

Aticaprant

Aticaprant is an oral, short-acting kappa opioid receptor antagonist that Johnson & Johnson developed as an add-on therapy for depression, discontinued in March 2025 after its Phase 3 trials failed.

Atomoxetine

Atomoxetine (Strattera), a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, is the first non-stimulant FDA-approved ADHD medication (2002, Eli Lilly), used after stimulant failure or intolerance, metabolized by CYP2D6, with a pediatric suicidal-ideation boxed warning; brand discontinued in favor of generics.

Bupropion

Bupropion (Wellbutrin, Zyban) is an aminoketone antidepressant inhibiting norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake with no serotonergic activity, used for MDD, seasonal affective disorder prevention, and smoking cessation; seizure risk is dose-related.

Butriptyline

Butriptyline (Evadyne, Evadene, Evasidol) is a tricyclic antidepressant, the isobutyl homologue of amitriptyline, used in Europe from 1974; never FDA-approved and listed as banned in the US, with a plasma half-life of about 20 hours.

Centpropazine

Centpropazine is an aryloxypropanolamine (piperazine) antidepressant developed by CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow, tested in phase I-III Indian trials against imipramine, and licensed to Merind Ltd., Mumbai, in 1996.

Citalopram

Citalopram (Celexa, Cipramil) is a racemic SSRI antidepressant approved by the FDA in 1998 for adult depression and used for panic disorder; its S-enantiomer is escitalopram, with modest efficacy differences debated.

Clomipramine

Clomipramine (Anafranil), a serotonergic tricyclic antidepressant, was the first FDA-approved OCD drug (1989) and is second-line OCD treatment; also approved as Clomicalm for canine separation anxiety.

Dasotraline

Dasotraline (SEP-225289) is an investigational dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor developed by Sunovion for ADHD and binge-eating disorder; trials showed efficacy, but its NDAs were withdrawn in 2020 and it was never marketed.

Desvenlafaxine

Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) is an SNRI antidepressant, the active metabolite of venlafaxine, FDA-approved in 2008 for adult major depressive disorder at 50 mg once daily, with renal dose adjustments and a suicidality boxed warning.

Dibenzepin

Dibenzepin (Noveril, Wander), a tricyclic antidepressant, ATC N06AA08, formula C18H21N3O, introduced 1965; 480–720 mg daily; low antimuscarinic potency; distinct from other drugs named Noveril.

Dosulepin

Dosulepin (dothiepin, Prothiaden) is a tricyclic antidepressant, a thio derivative of amitriptyline introduced in 1963, licensed for depressive illness with anxiety, but restricted in the UK because of high overdose toxicity.

Doxepin

Doxepin (Sinequan, Silenor) is a tricyclic antidepressant approved in 1969; at 3-6 mg it acts as a selective H1 antagonist for sleep-maintenance insomnia, and at higher doses treats depression and pruritus.

Duloxetine

Duloxetine (Cymbalta), an Eli Lilly serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor approved by the FDA in 2004 for depression and later for anxiety, fibromyalgia, and diabetic nerve pain; modest short-term benefit, notable nausea and withdrawal effects.

Edivoxetine

Edivoxetine (LY2216684) is Eli Lilly's investigational selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor for depression and ADHD. Three Phase 3 adjunctive MDD trials failed their primary endpoint in 2013, ending development; it was no better than placebo for ADHD.

Escitalopram

Escitalopram (Lexapro, Cipralex) is an SSRI antidepressant, the active S-enantiomer of citalopram, approved in the US in 2002 for major depressive disorder and later for generalized anxiety disorder, with dose-dependent QT prolongation.

Esmethadone

Esmethadone (REL-1017, d-methadone, dextromethadone) is the opioid-inactive dextro-isomer of methadone, a low-affinity uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist developed by Relmada as an oral rapid antidepressant; phase 3 trials missed their primary endpoint and development was paused.

Esmirtazapine

Esmirtazapine (Org 50081), the S(+) enantiomer of mirtazapine as its maleic acid salt, is an investigational 5-HT2A/H1 antagonist studied by Merck at 1.5-4.5 mg for primary insomnia, improving sleep time without rebound insomnia.

Flibanserin

Flibanserin (Addyi) is a daily 5-HT1A agonist/5-HT2A antagonist pill for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in women, FDA-approved 2015 for premenopausal women and expanded December 2025 to women under 65; boxed warning for alcohol-related hypotension.

Fluoxetine

Fluoxetine (Prozac) is the first marketed SSRI antidepressant, developed by Eli Lilly (Fuller, Wong, Molloy), FDA-approved December 1987 for depression, OCD, bulimia, and panic disorder, patent expired 2001.

Fluvoxamine

Fluvoxamine (Luvox) is an SSRI antidepressant approved in the US in 1994 for obsessive-compulsive disorder and used for social anxiety disorder; a strong CYP1A2 inhibitor whose 2021 COVID-19 emergency use authorization request was declined by the FDA.

Gepirone

Gepirone (EXXUA), a 5-HT1A receptor agonist of the azapirone class and buspirone analog, is an extended-release antidepressant approved by FDA on September 22, 2023 for major depressive disorder in adults after a two-decade regulatory history.