Fluoxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor used to treat major depressive disorder, bulimia, OCD, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, panic disorder, and bipolar I. It gained FDA approval in 1987 and although it was initially intended for the treatment of depression, today it is commonly prescribed to manage depression in addition to various other pathologies.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed · 7 references
The monoaminergic hypothesis of depression emerged in 1965 and linked depression with dysfunction of neurotransmitters such as noradrenaline and serotonin. Indeed, low levels of serotonin have been observed in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients diagnosed with depression. As a result of this hypothesis, drugs that modulate levels of serotonin such as fluoxetine were developed.
Fluoxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and as the name suggests, it exerts it's therapeutic effect by inhibiting the presynaptic reuptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin. As a result, levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) are increased in various parts of the brain. Further, fluoxetine has high affinity for 5-HT transporters, weak affinity for noradrenaline transporters and no affinity for dopamine transporters indicating that it is 5-HT selective.
Fluoxetine interacts to a degree with the 5-HT2C receptor and it has been suggested that through this mechanism, it is able to increase noradrenaline and dopamine levels in the prefrontal cortex.
- Primary indication
- Fluoxetine is indicated for both acute and maintenance treatment of major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and bulimia nervosa; however, it is only indicated for acute treatment of panic disorder independent of whether agoraphobia is...Curator reviewed · 15 structured indications
- Formula / weight
- C17H18F3NO · 309.3261 g/mol (avg)
- First approval
- Canada, 1996 · United States, 1987
- Code names
- Lilly 103472 · Lilly 110 140
- Brand names
Resolves to
RTHCYVBBDHJXIQ-UHFFFAOYSA-NSMILESCNCCC(OC1=CC=C(C=C1)C(F)(F)F)C1=CC=CC=C1What you can answer from here — as of September 23, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Fluoxetine, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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