Depression Symptoms Treatment

Drugs

Amphetamines

(includes some phenylethylamine [PEA] derivatives) Use: antidepressant; stimulant; antihyperactivity

Generic Drug Name Trade Name (Drug Company and Year Introduced)
amphetamine sulfate Benzedrine Sulfate (Smith, Kline & French marketed 1935)
bupropion, a PEA derivative Wellbutrin (Burroughs-Wellcome introduced 1986)
dextroamphetamine Dexedrine Sulfate (Smith, Kline & French marketed 1944)
methamphetamine Desoxyn (Abbott Laboratories marketed 1943)
methylphenidate (amphetamine-related in structure) Ritalin (Ciba launched in 1954 in Switzerland, in 1956 in United States)
pipradrol Meratran (Merrell marketed 1955); considered a stimulant
Antihistamines

Use: antipanic; antidepressant. (See also phenothiazines)

chlorpheniramine Chlor-Trimeton (Schering Labs marketed 1949)
diphenhydramine Benadryl (Parke Davis marketed 1946)
Barbiturates

Use: sedative; hypnotic; anticonvulsant

allobarbital Dial (Ciba patented and marketed 1912)
amobarbital Sodium Amytal (Lilly patented and marketed 1924)
barbital (also diemal malonal barbitone) Veronal (Merck and Bayer marketed in 1903 in Germany; also brought out as Medinal by Schering, 1903)
butabarbital Butisol Sodium (Lilly patented, and McNeil Laboratories marketed in 1932)
phenobarbital Luminal (Bayer marketed in 1911 in Germany)
secobarbital sodium Seconal (Lilly synthesized in 1934; marketed in 1936)
talbutal Lotusate (synthesized in 1925; Winthrop marketed in 1955)
Benzodiazepines

Use: anxiolytic; hypnotic; anticonvulsant; muscle relaxant

alprazolam Xanax (Upjohn launched 1981; later, also antipanic)
chlordiazepoxide Librium (Hoffmann-La Roche introduced 1960)
clonazepam Rivotril (Hoffmann-La Roche marketed in 1973 in France; and as Clonopin [Klonopin] in 1975 in United States)
clorazepate Tranxene (Abbott marketed in 1968 in France, in 1972 in United States)
diazepam Valium (Hoffmann-La Roche marketed in Italy in 1962, in United States in 1963)
flurazepam Dalmane (Hoffmann-La Roche launched 1970)
lorazepam Ativan (Wyeth marketed in 1977 in United States; brought out previously as Temesta in Europe in 1972; used also for catatonia)
oxazepam Serax (Wyeth marketed 1965)
prazepam Verstran (Warner-Lambert marketed 1977)
triazolam Halcion (Upjohn launched in 1979 in United Kingdom, in 1982 in United States)
Bicyclic and Tetracyclic Antidepressants

Use: antidepressant

maprotiline Ludiomil (Ciba introduced in 1973 in Germany, in United States in 1981)
nomifensine Alival (Hoechst introduced in 1976 in Germany; also brought out at as Merital in 1985 in United States); withdrawn 1986
trazodone Trittico (Angelini developed and marketed in 1972 in Italy; brought out by Mead Johnson as Desyrel in 1982 in United States; later used as hypnotic)
Carbamates

Use: antineurotic; sedative; anxiolytic

emylcamate Striatran (synthesized 1912 and marketed by Merck in 1960)
ethinamate Valmid, later Valamin (Lilly marketed 1955)
hydroxyphenamate Listica (Armour launched 1961)
meprobamate Miltown (Carter Products, later called Carter-Wallace, marketed in 1955, and licensed to Wyeth as Equanil)
methylparfynol (methylpentynol; meparfynol) Dormison (Schering launched in 1951; a cogener brought out as N-Oblivon in 1955)
Diphenylmethane

Use: antineurotic; antidepressant; anxiolytic

azacyclonal Frenquel (Merrell introduced 1955; also used as antipsychotic)
benactyzine Suavitil (Merck marketed 1957; also used as antiphobic)
hydroxyzine Atarax (Union Chimique Beige synthesized in 1956; Pfizer marketed in 1956 in the United States)
Lithium Salts

Use: antimanic; antidepressant

lithium carbonate Lithium (efficacy reestablished 1949; marketed in United States by Rowell; Smith, Kline & French; and Pfizer, 1970)
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)

Use: antidepressant

iproniazid Marsilid (Hoffmann-La Roche marketed in 1951 for tuberculosis; in 1957 for depression)
isocarboxazid Marplan (Hoffmann-La Roche marketed 1959)
nialamide Niamid (Pfizer launched 1959)
phenelzine Nardil (Warner-Chilcott marketed 1959)
pheniprazine Catron (Lakeside introduced 1959)
tranylcypromine Parnate (Smith, Kline & French introduced in 1960 in United Kingdom, in 1961 in United States)
Phenothiazines

Use: antipsychotic; anxiolytic

chlorpromazine Largactil (Rhone-Poulenc synthesized in 1950 and introduced in 1953 worldwide; also brought out as Thorazine by Smith, Kline & French in 1954 in United States [entered clinical trials in 1952])
levomepromazine (later methotrimeprazine) Nozinan (Rhone-Poulenc synthesized in 1958, marketed in France in 1963; also brought out as Levoprome by Lederle in 1966 in United States as sedative/analgesic, later antimelancholic)
mepazine Pacatal (Promonta synthesized in 1952 in Germany; Warner-Chilcott marketed in 1957 in United States)
prochlorperazine Compazine (Rhone-Poulenc developed; Smith, Kline & French marketed in United States, 1956)
promazine Sparine (Rhone-Poulenc patented in 1950; Wyeth Laboratories introduced in 1956)
promethazine Phenergan (Rhone-Poulenc synthesized in 1944; marketed in 1951 in United States)
thioridazine Mellaril (Sandoz synthesized in 1958; introduced in 1959 in United States)
Propanediol

Use: tranquilizer; muscle relaxant; antineurotic

mephenesin Tolserol (synthesized in 1908; Squibb marketed 1954)
Reserpine

Use: antipsychotic

reserpine, derived from Rauwolfia serpentina Serpasil (Ciba introduced for hypertension inl953; Riker Labs brought out a mixture of alkaloids from the plant as “Raudwidrine” for “mood elevation,” 1954)
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

Use: antidepressant; anxiolytic

citalopram Cipramil (Lundbeck patented in 1977, launched in 1989 in Denmark; also brought out as Celexa by Forest Laboratories in 1998 in United States)
fluoxetine Prozac (Lilly patented in 1975, marketed in Belgium in 1986, in United States in 1988)
fluvoxamine Floxyfral (Philips-Duphar, subsidiary of Solvay, patented in 1975; launched in Switzerland in 1983; brought out as Faverin in United Kingdom in 1987; and as Luvox in United States 1995 for obsessive-compulsive disorder)
indalpine Upstene (Fournier Freres-Pharmuka patented in 1977; launched in 1983 in France; withdrawn in 1985)
paroxetine Paxil (Ferrosan developed in 1974; SmithKline Beecham introduced in 1993 in United States; also brought out as Seroxat in United Kingdom)
sertraline Zoloft (Pfizer patented in 1981; introduced in 1992)
zimelidine (zimeldine) Zelmid (Astra-Hassle synthesized in 1969; launched in 1981 in Europe; withdrawn in 1983)
Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs)

Use: antidepressant (continued)

amitriptyline Elavil (Merck marketed 1961)
amoxapine Asendin (Lederle launched 1980, antidepressant with neuroleptic properties)
clomipramine Anafranil (Geigy launched in 1967 in France; in United States in 1990, for obsessive-compulsive disorder)
desipramine Pertofrane (Geigy marketed in 1963 in United Kingdom, in 1964 in United States)
dothiepin (dosulepin) Prothioden (Knoll launched in 1969 in United Kingdom)
doxepin Sinequan (Pfizer introduced in United States in 1969; uses: anxiolytic, antidepressant
imipramine Tofranil (Geigy marketed in 1957 in Switzerland and in 1959 in United States)
nortriptyline Aventyl (Merck developed; Lilly introduced in 1963 in United Kingdom, 1965 in United States)
protriptyline Concordin (Merck marketed in 1966 in United Kingdom; also brought out as Vivactil in 1967 in United States)
tianeptine Stablon (synthesized in 1970; Servier marketed in 1983 in France)