Paroxetine mesylateProduct ingredient for Paroxetine

Paroxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drug commonly known as Paxil. It has a variety of uses, including the treatment of anxiety disorders, major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and symptoms of menopause, among others.²⁶ It was approved by the FDA in the early 1990s and marketed by SmithKline Beecham.^32,33 A unique feature of this drug is that it is highly potent and selective in its inhibition of serotonin reuptake and has little effect on other neurotransmitters.¹³ Because of its potent inhibition of serotonin reuptake, paroxetine is more likely to cause withdrawal effects upon cessation. Paroxetine is well tolerated in most patients with a similar adverse effect profile to other members of its drug class.¹³ The controlled release formulation was designed to decrease the likelihood of nausea that is sometimes associated with paroxetine.^28,36