Flupentixol/melitracen

Last updated
Flupentixol/melitracen
Combination of
Flupentixol Typical antipsychotic
Melitracen Tricyclic antidepressant
Clinical data
Routes of
administration
Oral
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
  • In general: ℞ (Prescription only)
Identifiers
CAS Number
   (verify)

Flupentixol/melitracen (trade name Frenxit, Franxit, Placida, Deanxit, Anxidreg, Danxipress, Mocalm) is a combination of two psychoactive agents flupentixol and melitracen. It is designed for short term usage only. It is produced by Lundbeck. [1]

Contents

Flupentixol is a thiazolyl (thioanthracene) antipsychotic, and melitracen is a tricyclic antidepressant. Low dose Flupentixol (0.5mg-3mg) has antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects, while melitracen has antidepressant effect. The mixture of the two components is used to treat mild to moderate mental disorders.

Flupentixol acts as a dopamine 1 and 2 receptor antagonist and melitracen acts in similar way to other tricyclic antidepressants blocking the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine in presynaptic terminals.

Medical uses

[2]

Route of administration

Trade NameActive IngredientRoutesDose(s)Manufacturer
Depixol Flupentixol decanoateDeep Intramuscular Injection20 mg/mL Solution [3]

(Amount injected varies depending on prescribed dose)

Lundbeck
DeanxitFlupentixol, MelitracenOral, Tablet form0.5 mg Flupentixol, 10 mg Melitracen [4]

(per tablet)

Lundbeck

This table does not represent an exhaustive list, but demonstrates the various methods this medication is able to be administered. Flupentixol and melitracen is produced by numerous pharmaceutical companies worldwide, with many using oral tablets as the preferred route.

Dosage

Adult: Per tablet contains flupentixol 0.5 mg and melitracen 10 mg: 1 tablet in the morning and at midday. May double morning dose in severe cases. Not to exceed 4 tablets daily.[ citation needed ]

Elderly: Per tablet contains flupentixol 0.5 mg and melitracen 10 mg: 1 tablet in the morning. For severe cases: 1 tablet in the morning and at midday.[ citation needed ]

Contraindications

Circulatory collapse, depressed level of consciousness due to any cause, Coma. Severe depression requiring hospitalization or electroconvulsive therapy. Not recommended for use in states of excitement or overactivity.

Adverse reactions

Unsafe in porphyria. Caution when used in patients with epilepsy; Parkinson's disease; narrow angle glaucoma; prostatic hypertrophy; hypothyroidism; hyperthyroidism; liver disease; cardiac disease or arrhythmias; severe respiratory disease; renal failure; myasthenia gravis; phaeochromocytoma. Patients with hypersensitivity to thioxanthenes or other antipsychotics. Close monitoring for changes in behaviour, suicidal thoughts or clinical worsening during the initial part of the treatment is recommended. May impair control of diabetes; monitor blood glucose in diabetics.

Drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation, vomiting, dyspepsia, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, nausea, flatulence. Extrapyramidal effects, especially in the initial phase of the treatment. Tachycardia, palpitations, prolonged QT interval, hypotension. Thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, leukopenia, agranulocytosis. Dyspnoea, myalgia, muscle rigidity, micturition disorder, urinary retention. Increased appetite and weight. Abnormal glucose tolerance and LFTs. Insomnia, depression, nervousness, agitation, decreased libido.

Drug Interactions

Increased risk of adverse effects when used with alcohol. May potentiate the effects of general anaesthetics and anticoagulants, and prolong the action of neuromuscular blockers. May increase anticholinergic effects of atropine and drugs with anticholinergic activity. May increase risk of neurotoxicity when used with sibutramine or lithium. Avoid concurrent usage with drugs that cause QT prolongation or cardiac arrhythmias. May inhibit metabolism of TCAs. May antagonise effects of adrenaline and sympathomimetics, and reverse antihypertensive effects of guanethidine.

Pharmacology

Mechanism of action

Flupentixol inhibits dopamine-mediated effects by blocking postsynaptic dopamine receptors in the CNS.

Melitracen is a TCA with anxiolytic properties. At low doses, it has activating properties. It is also a bipolar thymoleptic.

Pharmacokinetics

Absorption: Flupentixol: Readily absorbed in the GI tract.

Distribution: Flupentixol: >95% bound to plasma proteins; widely distributed in the body and crosses the blood brain barrier.

Metabolism: Flupentixol: Extensively hepatic metabolism.

Excretion: Flupentixol: Excreted in urine and faeces in the form of many metabolites.

ATC Classification

N06AA14 - melitracen ; Belongs to the class of non-selective monoamine reuptake inhibitors. Used in the management of depression.

N05AF01 - flupentixol ; Belongs to the class of thioxanthene derivatives antipsychotics.

Society and culture

Brand names

Brand names include:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tricyclic antidepressant</span> Class of medications

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are a class of medications that are used primarily as antidepressants. TCAs were discovered in the early 1950s and were marketed later in the decade. They are named after their chemical structure, which contains three rings of atoms. Tetracyclic antidepressants (TeCAs), which contain four rings of atoms, are a closely related group of antidepressant compounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chlorpromazine</span> Antipsychotic medication

Chlorpromazine (CPZ), marketed under the brand names Thorazine and Largactil among others, is an antipsychotic medication. It is primarily used to treat psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. Other uses include the treatment of bipolar disorder, severe behavioral problems in children including those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, nausea and vomiting, anxiety before surgery, and hiccups that do not improve following other measures. It can be given orally, by intramuscular injection, or intravenously.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maprotiline</span> Antidepressant

Maprotiline, sold under the brand name Ludiomil among others, is a tetracyclic antidepressant (TeCA) that is used in the treatment of depression. It may alternatively be classified as a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA), specifically a secondary amine. In terms of its chemistry and pharmacology, maprotiline is closely related to such-other secondary-amine TCAs as nortriptyline and protriptyline and has similar effects to them, albeit with more distinct anxiolytic effects. Additionally, whereas protriptyline tends to be somewhat more stimulating and in any case is distinctly more-or-less non-sedating, mild degrees of sedation may be experienced with maprotiline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pimozide</span> Chemical compound

Pimozide is a neuroleptic drug of the diphenylbutylpiperidine class. It was discovered at Janssen Pharmaceutica in 1963. It has a high potency compared to chlorpromazine. On a weight basis it is even more potent than haloperidol. It also has special indication for Tourette syndrome and resistant tics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bupropion</span> Medication mainly used for depression and smoking cessation

Bupropion, formerly called amfebutamone, and sold under the brand name Wellbutrin among others, is an atypical antidepressant primarily used to treat major depressive disorder, seasonal affective disorder and to support smoking cessation. It is also popular as an add-on medication in the cases of "incomplete response" to the first-line selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant. Bupropion has several features that distinguish it from other antidepressants: it does not usually cause sexual dysfunction, it is not associated with weight gain and sleepiness, and it is more effective than SSRIs at improving symptoms of hypersomnia and fatigue. Bupropion, particularly the immediate release formulation, carries a higher risk of seizure than many other antidepressants, hence caution is recommended in patients with a history of seizure disorder. The medication is taken by mouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clomipramine</span> Antidepressant

Clomipramine, sold under the brand name Anafranil among others, is a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA). It is used in the treatment of various conditions, most notably obsessive–compulsive disorder but also many other disorders, including hyperacusis, panic disorder, major depressive disorder, trichotillomania, body dysmorphic disorder and chronic pain. It has also been notably used to treat premature ejaculation and the cataplexy associated with narcolepsy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doxepin</span> Medication to treat depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, chronic hives, and trouble sleeping

Doxepin is a medication belonging to the tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) class of drugs used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, chronic hives, and insomnia. For hives it is a less preferred alternative to antihistamines. It has a mild to moderate benefit for sleeping problems. It is used as a cream for itchiness due to atopic dermatitis or lichen simplex chronicus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tetrabenazine</span> Medication for hyperkinetic movement disorders

Tetrabenazine is a drug for the symptomatic treatment of hyperkinetic movement disorders. It is sold under the brand names Nitoman and Xenazine among others. On August 15, 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of tetrabenazine to treat chorea associated with Huntington's disease. Although other drugs had been used "off label," tetrabenazine was the first approved treatment for Huntington's disease in the U.S. The compound has been known since the 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trimipramine</span> Antidepressant

Trimipramine, sold under the brand name Surmontil among others, is a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) which is used to treat depression. It has also been used for its sedative, anxiolytic, and weak antipsychotic effects in the treatment of insomnia, anxiety disorders, and psychosis, respectively. The drug is described as an atypical or "second-generation" TCA because, unlike other TCAs, it seems to be a fairly weak monoamine reuptake inhibitor. Similarly to other TCAs, however, trimipramine does have antihistamine, antiserotonergic, antiadrenergic, antidopaminergic, and anticholinergic activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trazodone</span> Antidepressant medication

Trazodone, sold under many brand names, is an antidepressant medication, used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and insomnia. It is a phenylpiperazine compound of the serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitor (SARI) class. The medication is taken orally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chlorprothixene</span> Typical antipsychotic medication

Chlorprothixene, sold under the brand name Truxal among others, is a typical antipsychotic of the thioxanthene group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amisulpride</span> Atypical antipsychotic and antiemetic medication

Amisulpride, sold under the brand names Solian and Barhemsys, is a medication used in the treatment of schizophrenia, acute psychotic episodes, depression, and nausea and vomiting. It is specifically used at lower doses intravenously to prevent and treat postoperative nausea and vomiting; at low doses by mouth to treat depression; and at higher doses by mouth to treat psychosis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dibenzepin</span> Chemical compound

Dibenzepin, sold under the brand name Noveril among others, is a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) used widely throughout Europe for the treatment of depression. It has similar efficacy and effects relative to other TCAs like imipramine but with fewer side effects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sulpiride</span> Atypical antipsychotic

Sulpiride, sold under the brand name Dogmatil among others, is an atypical antipsychotic medication of the benzamide class which is used mainly in the treatment of psychosis associated with schizophrenia and major depressive disorder, and is sometimes used in low dosage to treat anxiety and mild depression.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flupentixol</span> Typical antipsychotic drug of the thioxanthene class

Flupentixol (INN), also known as flupenthixol, marketed under brand names such as Depixol and Fluanxol is a typical antipsychotic drug of the thioxanthene class. It was introduced in 1965 by Lundbeck. In addition to single drug preparations, it is also available as flupentixol/melitracen—a combination product containing both melitracen and flupentixol . Flupentixol is not approved for use in the United States. It is, however, approved for use in the UK, Australia, Canada, Russian Federation, South Africa, New Zealand, Philippines, Iran, Germany, and various other countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lofepramine</span> Chemical compound

Lofepramine, sold under the brand names Gamanil, Lomont, and Tymelyt among others, is a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) which is used to treat depression. The TCAs are so named as they share the common property of having three rings in their chemical structure. Like most TCAs lofepramine is believed to work in relieving depression by increasing concentrations of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and serotonin in the synapse, by inhibiting their reuptake. It is usually considered a third-generation TCA, as unlike the first- and second-generation TCAs it is relatively safe in overdose and has milder and less frequent side effects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protriptyline</span> Chemical compound

Protriptyline, sold under the brand name Vivactil among others, is a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA), specifically a secondary amine, indicated for the treatment of depression and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Uniquely among most of the TCAs, protriptyline tends to be energizing instead of sedating, and is sometimes used for narcolepsy to achieve a wakefulness-promoting effect.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zuclopenthixol</span> Typical antipsychotic medication

Zuclopenthixol, also known as zuclopentixol, is a medication used to treat schizophrenia and other psychoses. It is classed, pharmacologically, as a typical antipsychotic. Chemically it is a thioxanthene. It is the cis-isomer of clopenthixol. Clopenthixol was introduced in 1961, while zuclopenthixol was introduced in 1978.

Selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (sNRIs) are a class of drugs that have been marketed as antidepressants and are used for various mental disorders, mainly depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The norepinephrine transporter (NET) serves as the fundamental mechanism for the inactivation of noradrenergic signaling because of the NET termination in the reuptake of norepinephrine (NE). The selectivity and mechanism of action for the NRI drugs remain mostly unresolved and, to date, only a limited number of NRI-selective inhibitors are available. The first commercially available selective NRI was the drug reboxetine (Edronax), developed as a first-line therapy for major depressive disorder. Atomoxetine (Strattera) is another potent and selective NRI which is also effective and well tolerated for the treatment of ADHD in adults; it may also be a new treatment option for adults with ADHD, particularly for those patients at risk of substance abuse.

References

  1. Sweetman SC, ed. (2009). "Preparations". Martindale: The complete drug reference (36th ed.). London: Pharmaceutical Press. p. 2607. ISBN   978-0-85369-840-1.
  2. "Flupentixol". go.drugbank.com. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
  3. "Depixol 20 mg/ml solution for injection - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc)". www.medicines.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
  4. "Deanxit, Flupentixol + Melitracen". Singapore: MIMS.

Further reading