1. Anti-Depressant and its
Classification
By
Natasha Puri
M.Sc Forensic Science
(3rd
Sem.)

2. What is Depression ???
 Serious disorder of mood, ranges from mild to
very serious condition
 Most serious mental problem which people facing
today
 Most common Psychological Disorder
 Some people referred depression as “Common
Cold” of mental illness
 Can affect people of all ages,religion and race
 Twice common in female as compared to male
 Risk of suicide is high

3. Type of Depression
 Depression are of Following types :
a. Uni-polar - Mind of subject swing in some
direction
b. Bi-polar - Depression associated with
mania some times called as
manic depression
c. Endogenous – Depression due to shock or
stressful life events

4. Causes
Following are the main causes :
 Family History
 Positive and negative events
 Certain medication
 Use of alcohol
 Imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain

5. Symptoms
 Vary from subject to subject but having to key
signs are: a. loss of interest in things
like to do
b. sadness or irritability
 Divided into following
Biological Emotional
Physical

6. Biochemical Theory
In 1950, Reserpine induce Depression
and study shows that it depletes the
storage of NE and 5-HT
 Then Biochemical or monoamine
theory was Proposed in 1965 by
Schildkrant
 Theory state that there is decreased or
functional deficiency in
monoamine i.e NE , 5-HT, DA
transmission in the CNS

7. Treatment
Psychotherapy
 Electroconvulsive Therapy
 Natural alternatives
 Medication
The drug which is used for the
relieve or prevention of depression and its
symptoms known as Anti-depressant Drugs

8. Anti Depressant Drugs
Drugs which are used to relieve or prevent
depression known as Anti depressant
 Anti depressant was first developed in
1950’s
 Work by stabilize and normalize the level of
neurotransmitter in brain.Neurotransmitter
like NE,5-HT,DA play an important role in
regulating the mood
 Practically all antidepressants affect
monoaminergic transmission in the brain

9. Classification
 Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs)
i. NA+5-HT reuptake inhibitor
- Imipramine
- Trimipramine
- Amitriptyline
- Doxepin
ii. Predominantly NA reuptake inhibitors
- Desipramine
- Nortriptyline
- Reboxetine

10.  Selective Serotonin reuptake inhibitors
(SSRIs)
- Citalopram
- Escitalopram
- Fluoxetine
- Paroxetine
- Sertraline
5-HT / NE Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)
- Duloxetine
- Venlafaxine

11. Atypical Antidepressants
- Buproprion
- Mirtazapine
- Nefazodone
- Trazodone
 Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors
- Phenelzine
- Selegiline
- Tranylcypromine

12. Mechanism of TCAs Drugs

13. Mechanism of SSRIs Drugs

14. Mechanism of monoamine
oxidase Inhibitors

15. Side Effect
Classification Side effects Pharmacokinetics
TCAs Blurred Vision ,
xerostomia , constipation,
Increased appetite, Nausea,
cardiac arrhythmia
Well absorbed Orally
Pass BBB
Metabolised in liver
SSRIs Nausea, anxiety, insomnia,
sexual dysfunction, gastric
upset
Well absorbed Orally
Food effect absorption
Metabolised in Liver
SNRIs Nausea,
anxiety,insomnia,sexual
dysfunction, gastric upset
Well absorbed Orally
Metabolised in Liver
Atypical Antidepressant Dry mouth , nervousness,
seizures at high dose
Well absorbed orally
MAOIs Nausea, Headache, Stiff
neck, dry mouth, Drug
interaction
Well absorbed orally

16. References
 Tripathi K.D “Essential of Medical Pharmacology” 6th
Edition , Jaypee
Brothers Medical Publishers(P)ltd.
 Goodman and Gilman’s “Manual of Pharmacology and Therapeutics”
10th
Edition, McGraw Hill Companies
 Finkel Richard et.al., “Pharmacolgy”,4th
Edition, Lippincott Williams
and Wilkin
 Hollinger A. Mannfred, “ Introduction to Pharmacology” ,2nd
Edition ,
Taylor & Francis Group
 Dipiro T. Joseph, et.al “ Pharmacotherapy” ,7th
Edition , McGraw Hill
Companies
 Stahl SM. Essential Psychopharmacology,2nd
Edition, Cambridge
University Press, New York
 Foye O.William, Principles of Medicinal Chemistry,3rd
Edition,
Varghese Publishing House
 http://www.springerlink.com/content/b9b8668ff59f89d7/fulltext.pdf
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