Tricyclic Antidepressants; Uses, Side Effects, Interactions Tricyclic antidepressants with anticholinergic and sedative properties. Amitriptyline appears to prevent the re-uptake of norepinephrine and serotonin at nerve terminals, thus potentiating the action of these neurotransmitters. Amitriptyline also appears to antagonize cholinergic and alpha-1 adrenergic responses to bioactive amines. or Tricyclic antidepressants are a class of medications that are used primarily as antidepressants. Tricyclic antidepressants (often abbreviated to TCAs) are a class of drugs that are traditionally used to treat depression; however, they may also be used in the treatment of other mood disorders, to relieve chronic nerve-related pain, to reduce bed-wetting, to manage obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and to prevent.T hey are named after their chemical structure, which contains three rings of atoms. Although TCAs are sometimes prescribed for depressive disorders, they have been largely replaced in clinical use in most parts of the world by newer antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (NRIs). Types of Tricyclic Antidepressants Those that preferentially inhibit the reuptake of serotonin (by at least 10-fold over norepinephrine) include Butriptyline (relatively weak serotonin reuptake inhibitor) Clomipramine Imipramine Trimipramine (relatively weak serotonin reuptake inhibitor) Those that preferentially inhibit the reuptake of norepinephrine (by at least 10-fold over serotonin) include Desipramine Dibenzepin Lofepramine Maprotiline – can be classed with the TCAs though more frequently classed with the TeCAs Nortriptyline Protriptyline Whereas either fairly balanced reuptake inhibitors of serotonin and norepinephrine or unspecified inhibitors include Amitriptyline Amitriptylinoxide Amoxapine – can be classed with the TeCAs but more frequently classed with the TCAs Demexiptiline Dimetacrine Dosulepin Doxepin Fluacizine Imipraminoxide Melitracen Metapramine Nitroxazepine Noxiptiline Pipofezine Propizepine Quinupramine And the following are TCAs that act via main mechanisms other than serotonin or norepinephrine reuptake inhibition Amineptine – norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor Iprindole – 5-HT2 receptor antagonist Opipramol – σ receptor agonist Tianeptine atypical μ-opioid receptor agonist Overall Classifications of Tricyclic Antidepressants Antidepressants 7-OH-Amoxapine Amezepine Amineptine Amitriptyline Amitriptylinoxide Amoxapine Aptazapine Azepindole Azipramine Batelapine Butriptyline Cianopramine Ciclazindol Ciclopramine Cidoxepin Clomipramine Cotriptyline Cyanodothiepin Demexiptiline Depramine Desipramine Desmethylclomipramine Desmethyltrimipramine Dibenzepin Dimetacrine Dosulepin (dothiepin) Doxepin Enprazepine Esmirtazapine Fantridone Fluotracen Hepzidine Homopipramol Imipramine Imipraminoxide Intriptyline Iprindole Ketipramine Maprotiline Mariptiline Mazindol Melitracen Metapramine Mirtazapine Monometacrine Naranol Nitroxazepine Norbutriptyline Northiaden Nortriptyline (noramitriptyline) Noxiptiline Octriptyline Opipramol Oxaprotiline Pipofezine Pirandamine Propizepine Protriptyline Quinupramine Setiptiline (teciptiline) Tienopramine Trimipramine Mechanism of Actions of Tricyclic Antidepressants Tricyclic antidepressants work by inhibiting the neuronal reuptake of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and serotonin. It binds the sodium-dependent serotonin transporter and sodium-dependent norepinephrine transporter preventing or reducing the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin by nerve cells. Depression has been linked to a lack of stimulation of the post-synaptic neuron by norepinephrine and serotonin. Slowing the reuptake of these neurotransmitters increases their concentration in the synaptic cleft, which is thought to contribute to relieving symptoms of depression. In addition to acutely inhibiting neurotransmitter re-uptake, imipramine causes down-regulation of cerebral cortical beta-adrenergic receptors and sensitization of post-synaptic serotonergic receptors with chronic use. This leads to enhanced serotonergic transmission. Indications/Uses of Tricyclic Antidepressants The TCAs are used primarily in the clinical treatment of mood disorders such as Major depressive disorder Dysthymia, and treatment-resistant variants. They are also used in the treatment of a number of other medical disorders, including Anxiety disorders Generalized anxiety disorder Social phobia Social anxiety disorder Obsessive-compulsive disorder Panic disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder Body dysmorphic disorder Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, certain Personality disorders such as Borderline personality disorder Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder Parkinson’s disease as well as Chronic pain, Neuralgia Neuropathic pain Fibromyalgia, A headache, A migraine, Smoking cessation, Irritable bowel syndrome Interstitial cystitis Nocturnal enuresis Narcolepsy, Insomnia, Pathological crying Chronic hiccups, Schizophrenia. Contra-Indications of Tricyclic Antidepressants Overactive thyroid gland Decreased blood Platelets Decreased neutrophils a type of white blood cell Schizophrenia Behaving with excessive cheerfulness and activity The mild degree of mania Manic-depression Having thoughts of suicide Alcoholism Serotonin syndrome – adverse drug interaction Closed-angle glaucoma Heart attack within the last 30 days Coronary artery disease Prolonged QT interval on EKG Abnormal heart rhythm Disease of the heart and blood vessels Abnormal EKG with QT changes from birth Stroke Liver problems Kidney disease with a reduction in kidney function Enlarged prostate Side Effects of Tricyclic Antidepressants The most common Decreased sexual desire or ability Failure to discharge semen (in men) chest pain a headache joint painPain dizziness nausea and vomiting Severe stomach ache epigastric pain, diarrhea, anorexia, flatulence, a headache, dizziness, fainting, fast or pounding heartbeats. More common Fast or irregular heartbeat fever Back pain dizziness a headache increased cough Acid or sour stomach decreased appetite Agitation chest congestion chest pain cold sweats confusion decreased sexual ability or desire diarrhea or loose stools heartburn sleepiness or unusual drowsiness stomach or abdominal cramps, gas, or pain trouble sleeping Less common Abnormal dreams change in sense of taste congestion discouragement, feeling sad, or empty Suicide attempts Acting on dangerous impulses Aggressive or violent behavior Thoughts about suicide or dying New or worse depression New or worse anxiety or panic attacks Agitation, restlessness, anger, or irritability Trouble sleeping An increase in activity or talking more than normal Drug Interactions of Tricyclic Antidepressants Tricyclic antidepressants may interact with the following drugs, supplements & may decrease the efficacy of the drug anticholinergic medications (e.g., atropine, diphenhydramine, hydroxyzine) barbiturates (e.g., phenobarbital) benzodiazepines (e.g., diazepam, lorazepam) butyrophenones (e.g., haloperidol) carbamazepine clarithromycin cimetidine domperidone erythromycin epinephrine or guanethidine MAO inhibitors (e.g., phenelzine, moclobemide) methadone methylphenidate metoclopramide phenothiazines (e.g., chlorpromazine, thioridazine) phenylephrine sibutramine sotalol SSRI antidepressants (e.g., fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine) terbinafine tramadol ziprasidone Referances DrugBank http://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB00321 http://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB00321#carriers http://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB00321#targets http://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB00321#enzymes http://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB00321#transporters https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tricyclic_antidepressant https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/r?dbs+hsdb:@term+@rn+@rel+50-48-6 FDA Orange Book https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/InformationOnDrugs/ucm129662.htm FDA/SPL Indexing Data https://www.fda.gov/ForIndustry/DataStandards/SubstanceRegistrationSystem-UniqueIngredientIdentifierUNII/ MassBank of North America (MoNA) http://mona.fiehnlab.ucdavis.edu/spectra/browse?inchikey=KRMDCWKBEZIMAB-UHFFFAOYSA-N NIST http://www.nist.gov/srd/nist1a.cfmO ATC https://www.whocc.no/atc/ https://www.whocc.no/atc_ddd_index/ Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amitriptyline https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Show More