Asendin is a prescription medicine that is licensed for the treatment of depression. It is a type of tricyclic antidepressant that helps to improve depression symptoms by allowing certain chemicals (serotonin and norepinephrine) to stay in the brain longer. Since the medication also blocks dopamine receptors, it is especially useful for treating psychotic depression. Potential side effects may include dry mouth, drowsiness, and constipation.
What Is Asendin?
Asendin® (amoxapine) is a prescription medication that is used to treat depression (also known as major depression or clinical depression). It is especially useful for treating people with depression who also have anxiety or agitation and people with psychotic depression (depression with hallucinations, delusions, or other psychotic features).
(Click Asendin Uses for more information on what Asendin is used for, including possible off-label uses.)
Who Makes Asendin?
Asendin was originally made by Lederle Laboratories, but it is no longer being manufactured. Generic Asendin is still available and is made by Watson Pharmaceuticals.
It is not entirely clear how Asendin works. It does affect several chemicals in the brain, including serotonin and norepinephrine. It is thought that perhaps Asendin allows these chemicals to stay in the brain longer, which can help with depression symptoms. Asendin also blocks dopamine receptors, which is why it is especially useful for psychotic depression.
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Briggs GG, Freeman RK, Yaffe SJ. Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. 7th ed. Philadelphia (PA): Lippincott Williams & Wilkins;2005.
National Library of Medicine (US). Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMED). NLM Web site. Available at: http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT. Accessed February 26, 2007.
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