What medications are used to treat depression?

There are a number of different types of antidepressant medications available. They differ in their side effects and, to some extent, in their level of effectiveness. Tricyclic antidepressants (named for their chemical structure) used to be the most commonly used medications for treatment of major depressions. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) were often used for "atypical" depressions in which there are symptoms like oversleeping, anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias. More recently, newer antidepressants have been developed. Several of them are called "selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors" (SSRIs). Some examples of SSRIs are fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft). (Luvox has been approved for obsessive-compulsive disorder , and Paxil has been approved for panic disorder.) Though structurally different from each other, all the SSRI antidepressant effects are due to their action on one specific neurotransmitter, serotonin. Two other antidepressants that affect two neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine have also been approved by the FDA. They are venlafaxine (Effexor) and nefazodone (Serzone). All of these newer antidepressants seem to have less bothersome side effects than the older tricyclic antidepressants.

The tricyclic antidepressant clomipramine (Anafranil) affects serotonin but is not as selective as the SSRIs. It was the first medication specifically approved for use in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Prozac and Luvox have now been approved for use with OCD.

Another of the newer antidepressants, bupropion (Wellbutrin), is chemically unrelated to the other antidepressants. It has more effect on norepinephrine and dopamine than on serotonin. Wellbutrin has not been associated with weight gain or sexual dysfunction. It is contraindicated for individuals with, or at risk for, a seizure disorder or who have been diagnosed with bulimia or anorexia nervosa. 

This list pairs the Trade Names of antidepressants with their generic names. As we gather additional information about specific medications, we will provide a link from the medication Trade name to a separate web page with specific information related to that medication.  In other references, sometimes you can find additional information about a medication under its generic name, that might not be listed under its trade name.

Trade Name Generic Name Adapin doxepin Anafranil**  clomipramine Asendin amoxapine Aventyl    nortriptyline Desyrel  trazodone Effexor venlafaxine Elavil amitriptyline Ludiomil maprotiline Luvox (SSRI)   fluvoxamine Marplan (MAOI) isocarboxazid Nardil (MAOI) phenelzine Norpramin desipramine Pamelor nortriptyline Parnate (MAOI) tranylcypromine Paxil (SSRI) paroxetine Pertofrane desipramine Prozac (SSRI) fluoxetine Remeron mirtazapine Serzone nefazodone Sinequan doxepin Surmontin trimipramine Tofranil** imipramine Vivactil protriptyline Wellbutrin bupropion Zoloft (SSRI) sertraline

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