Chemistry and Pharmacology of the latest Ssri Anti-Depressant Drug

Drugs falling under the type Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (Ssris) exert their therapeutic action by restoring equilibrium of Serotonin, the mood-infleuncing neurotransmitter in the brain. The most recent and probably the most flourishing Ssri drug to date is Lexapro (Escitalopram Oxalate), known as Cipralex in Europe. Let's consider this drug from the viewpoint of its chemistry and pharmacology.

Chemistry: Escitalopram is an active enantiomer of Citalopram. Escitalopram Oxalate is a fine crystalline salt with color varying from white to yellow. It is thoroughly soluble in ethanol, gently soluble in water, and slightly soluble in acetone. Its chemical name is: S (+)-1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-1-(4-fluorophenyl)-1, 3-dihydroisobenzofuran-5-carbonitrile hydrogen oxalate.

Escitalopram Oxalate article in one Lexapro tablet usually ranges from 5mg to 20mg.

The other ingredients of Lexapro are: · Cellulose - microcrystalline · Croscarmellose sodium · Hypromellose · Silica - colloidal anhydrous · Talc · Magnesium stearate · Macrogol 400 · Titanium dioxide

How it works: Even though the mechanism of psychiatric disorders is still a branch of research, it is fairly well established that psychiatric disorders are triggered by an imbalance of neurotransmitters inside the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that enable nerve cells to divulge with each other. One such neurotransmitter is serotonin, the brain's 'feel good' chemical. Depression and anxiety are thought about to be a ensue of an imbalance in serotonin.

When serotonin is released from one nerve cell and transmitted to the next, the first cell reabsorbs a part of it. Lexapro inhibits this re-absorption by the first cell as a ensue of which the availability of serotonin in the subsequent nerve cell is increased. Thus, Lexapro restores serotonin equilibrium in the brain and helps bolster 'good mood' in patients with psychiatric disorders.

Other Ssri drugs: Though we have specifically thought about Lexapro in this repoprt, the pharmacology of all Ssri drugs is the same, with variations seen in terms of efficacy and side-effects only.