Amitriptyline Hydrochloride: An Inhibitor of Serotonin or Noradrenaline Re-Uptake Transporters
Amitriptyline hydrochloride is the most widely used tricyclic antidepressant agent with sedative effects. The mechanism of action of amitriptyline is still not fully understood. However, amitriptyline works as an inhibitor of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5HT [
S0370]) or L-noradrenaline [
A0906] re-uptake transporters in brain neurons. This inhibition is believed by some to underlie the antidepressant activity of amitriptyline. Amitriptyline undergoes extensive metabolism in the liver, primarily through
N-demethylation, to nortriptyline [
N0957]. (The product is for research purpose only.)