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Clinical data | |
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Trade names | Tofranil, Tofranil-PM, others |
Other names | Melipramine; G-22355 |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
MedlinePlus | a682389 |
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Routes of administration | By mouth, intramuscular injection |
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Pharmacokinetic data | |
Bioavailability | 94–96%[3] |
Protein binding | 86%[4] |
Metabolism | Liver (CYP1A2, CYP2C19, CYP2D6)[4] |
Metabolites | Desipramine[4] |
Elimination half-life | 20 hours[4] |
Excretion | Kidney (80%), fecal (20%)[4] |
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.000.039 |
Chemical and physical data | |
Formula | C19H24N2 |
Molar mass | 280.415 g·mol−1 |
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Imipramine, sold under the brand name Tofranil, among others, is a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) mainly used in the treatment of depression. It is also effective in treating anxiety and panic disorder. Imipramine is taken by mouth.
Common side effects of imipramine include dry mouth, drowsiness, dizziness, low blood pressure, rapid heart rate, urinary retention, and electrocardiogram changes. Overdose of the medication can result in death. Imipramine appears to work by increasing levels of serotonin and norepinephrine and by blocking certain serotonin, adrenergic, histamine, and cholinergic receptors.
Imipramine was discovered in 1951 and was introduced for medical use in 1957. It was the first TCA to be marketed. Imipramine and TCAs other than amitriptyline (which, at least in the U.K., is prescribed comparatively as frequently as SSRIs) have decreased in prescription frequency with the rise of SSRIs—which have fewer inherent side effects and are far safer in overdose.[citation needed] Regardless of its caveats, imipramine retains importance in psychopharmacology and pediatrics (e.g., with childhood enuresis).[5][6]