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Description
Curator's Comment: description was created based on several sources, including https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11465523 | https://www.drugs.com/monograph/doxepin-hydrochloride.html | https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=aa69c63c-ced6-4676-a16b-554f1af7d210

Doxepin is a dibenzoxepin tricyclic antidepressant marketed worldwide. It is a white crystalline solid readily soluble in water, lower alcohols and chloroform. The mechanism of action of doxepin is not definitely known. It is not a central nervous system stimulant nor a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. The current hypothesis is that the clinical effects are due, at least in part, to influences on the adrenergic activity at the synapses so that deactivation of norepinephrine by reuptake into the nerve terminals is prevented. Antidepressants may increase risk of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in children, adolescents, and young adults (18–24 years of age) with major depressive disorder and other psychiatric disorders. Drowsiness is the most commonly noticed side effect. This tends to disappear as therapy is continued. Other infrequently reported CNS side effects are confusion, disorientation, hallucinations, numbness, paresthesias, ataxia, extrapyramidal symptoms, seizures, tardive dyskinesia, and tremor. : Cardiovascular effects including hypotension, hypertension, and tachycardia have been reported occasionally. Skin rash, edema, photosensitization, and pruritus have occasionally occurred. Eosinophilia has been reported in a few patients. There have been occasional reports of bone marrow depression manifesting as agranulocytosis, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and purpura. Doxepin is used to treat depression, anxiety disorders, itchiness, trouble sleeping, and as a second-line treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria (hives). Its oral formulations are FDA-approved for the treatment of depression, anxiety, and insomnia and its topical formulations are FDA-approved the short-term management (up to 8 days) of atopic dermatitis and lichen simplex chronicus. Whereas in Australia and the UK, the only licensed indication(s) is/are in the treatment of major depression and pruritus in eczema, respectively.

Approval Year

TargetsConditions

Conditions

ConditionModalityTargetsHighest PhaseProduct
Primary
SINEQUAN

Approved Use

INDICATIONS & USAGE Doxepin is recommended for the treatment of: Psychoneurotic patients with depression and/or anxiety. Depression and/or anxiety associated with alcoholism (not to be taken concomitantly with alcohol). Depression and/or anxiety associated with organic disease (the possibility of drug interaction should be considered if the patient is receiving other drugs concomitantly). Psychotic depressive disorders with associated anxiety including involutional depression and manic-depressive disorders. The target symptoms of psychoneurosis that respond particularly well to doxepin include anxiety, tension, depression, somatic symptoms and concerns, sleep disturbances, guilt, lack of energy, fear, apprehension and worry. Clinical experience has shown that doxepin is safe and well tolerated even in the elderly patient. Owing to lack of clinical experience in the pediatric population, doxepin is not recommended for use in children under 12 years of age.

Launch Date

1969
Primary
SINEQUAN

Approved Use

INDICATIONS & USAGE Doxepin is recommended for the treatment of: Psychoneurotic patients with depression and/or anxiety. Depression and/or anxiety associated with alcoholism (not to be taken concomitantly with alcohol). Depression and/or anxiety associated with organic disease (the possibility of drug interaction should be considered if the patient is receiving other drugs concomitantly). Psychotic depressive disorders with associated anxiety including involutional depression and manic-depressive disorders. The target symptoms of psychoneurosis that respond particularly well to doxepin include anxiety, tension, depression, somatic symptoms and concerns, sleep disturbances, guilt, lack of energy, fear, apprehension and worry. Clinical experience has shown that doxepin is safe and well tolerated even in the elderly patient. Owing to lack of clinical experience in the pediatric population, doxepin is not recommended for use in children under 12 years of age.

Launch Date

1969
Primary
ZONALON

Approved Use

INDICATIONS & USAGE Zonalon Cream is indicated for the short-term (up to 8 days) management of moderate pruritus in adult patients with atopic dermatitis or lichen simplex chronicus.

Launch Date

1994
PubMed

PubMed

TitleDatePubMed
The antinicotinic effects of drugs with clinically useful sedative-antianxiety properties.
1975
Comparison of the cardiovascular toxicity of three tricyclic antidepressant drugs: imipramine, amitriptyline, and doxepin.
1979 Mar
Doxepin and visual hallucinations.
1982 Dec
Doxepin and tinnitus.
1983 Sep
Orthostatic effect of imipramine and doxepin in depressed geriatric outpatients.
1985 Apr
Acute effects of maprotiline, doxepin and zimeldine with alcohol in healthy volunteers.
1988 Jan-Feb
Dystonic reactions to amitriptyline and doxepin.
1988 May
A case of immune complex hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute renal failure associated with doxepin use.
1989 Mar
Is doxepin a safer tricyclic for the heart?
1991 Aug
Effect of IAP and chronic antidepressant administration on the 5HT1A receptor in rat cortical membranes.
1992 May
Bupropion-induced carbohydrate craving and weight gain.
1992 Oct
The noisy elderly patient: prevalence, assessment, and response to the antidepressant doxepin.
1992 Oct-Dec
Doxepin-induced recurrent acute hepatitis.
1993 Oct
Pharmacological profile of antidepressants and related compounds at human monoamine transporters.
1997 Dec 11
Electrocardiographic effects of fluoxetine and doxepin in patients with major depressive disorder.
1997 Feb
Focal cortical transient preceding myoclonus during lithium and tricyclic antidepressant therapy.
1999 Jan 1
Antidepressants upregulate messenger RNA levels of the neuroprotective enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD1).
2000 Jan
National Patterns of Medication Treatment for Depression, 1987 to 2001.
2001 Dec
Drugs and breast-feeding.
2002 Feb
Differential enhancement of antidepressant penetration into the brain in mice with abcb1ab (mdr1ab) P-glycoprotein gene disruption.
2003 Oct 15
Glutathione S-transferase pi as a target for tricyclic antidepressants in human brain.
2004
Evaluation of in vivo selective binding of [11C]doxepin to histamine H1 receptors in five animal species.
2004 May
'Hypnotic' prescription patterns in a large managed-care population.
2004 Sep
Antidepressant-associated chronic irritable dysphoria (acid) in bipolar disorder: a case series.
2005 Feb
Oral doxepin rinse: the analgesic effect and duration of pain reduction in patients with oral mucositis due to cancer therapy.
2006 Aug
Frequency of high-risk use of QT-prolonging medications.
2006 Jun
In vitro detection of drug-induced phospholipidosis using gene expression and fluorescent phospholipid based methodologies.
2007 Sep
Profiling of a prescription drug library for potential renal drug-drug interactions mediated by the organic cation transporter 2.
2011 Jul 14
Patents

Patents

Sample Use Guides

In Vivo Use Guide
Curator's Comment: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2002/20126slr006_Zonalon_lbl.pdf
For Mild Anxiety: Initial dose: 25 mg per day in 1 to 3 divided doses. Maintenance dose: 25 to 50 mg per day in 1 to 3 divided doses. For Moderate Anxiety: Initial dose: 75 mg per day in 1 to 3 divided doses. Maintenance dose: 75 to 150 mg per day in 1 to 3 divided doses. For Severe Anxiety: Initial dose: 150 mg per day in 1 to 3 divided doses. Maintenance dose: 150 to 300 mg per day in 1 to 3 divided doses. The maximum single dose should not exceed 150 mg. For treatment moderate pruritus A thin film of Doxepin should be applied four times each day with at least a 3 to 4 hour interval between applications. There are no data to establish the safety and effectiveness of Doxepin when used for greater than 8 days. Chronic use beyond eight days may result in higher systemic levels and should be avoided.
Route of Administration: Other
In Vitro Use Guide
Doxepin effects were studied on rat vas deferens responses to noradrenaline. Tissues were prepared in Krebs-Henseleit solution. In normal Krebs-Henseleit solution doxepin behaved as competitive antagonists.
Name Type Language
DOXEPIN HYDROCHLORIDE
EP   MI   ORANGE BOOK   USAN   USP   USP-RS   VANDF   WHO-DD  
USAN  
Official Name English
ZONALON
Brand Name English
DOXEPIN HYDROCHLORIDE [ORANGE BOOK]
Common Name English
P-3693A
Code English
DOXEPIN HYDROCHLORIDE [VANDF]
Common Name English
DOXEPIN HYDROCHLORIDE [EP MONOGRAPH]
Common Name English
DOXEPIN HYDROCHLORIDE [USP-RS]
Common Name English
DOXEPIN HYDROCHLORIDE [USP MONOGRAPH]
Common Name English
1-PROPANAMINE, 3-DIBENZ(B,E)OXEPIN-11(6H)YLIDENE-N,N-DIMETHYL-, HYDROCHLORIDE
Common Name English
DOXEPIN HYDROCHLORIDE [JAN]
Common Name English
DOXEPIN HYDROCHLORIDE [MI]
Common Name English
DOXEPIN HCL
Common Name English
Doxepin hydrochloride [WHO-DD]
Common Name English
DOXEPIN HYDROCHLORIDE IS A CIS-TRANS (APPROXIMATELY 1:5) MIXTURE
Common Name English
SINEQUAN
Brand Name English
DOXEPIN HYDROCHLORIDE [USAN]
Common Name English
NSC-108160
Code English
Classification Tree Code System Code
NCI_THESAURUS C94727
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Code System Code Type Description
DRUG BANK
DBSALT000059
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PRIMARY
ChEMBL
CHEMBL1628227
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PRIMARY
MERCK INDEX
m4753
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PRIMARY Merck Index
EVMPD
SUB01825MIG
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PRIMARY
FDA UNII
3U9A0FE9N5
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PRIMARY
NCI_THESAURUS
C29006
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PRIMARY
PUBCHEM
14675
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PRIMARY
DAILYMED
3U9A0FE9N5
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PRIMARY
NSC
108160
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PRIMARY
EPA CompTox
DTXSID8045145
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PRIMARY
RS_ITEM_NUM
1225500
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PRIMARY
ECHA (EC/EINECS)
214-966-8
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PRIMARY
CAS
1229-29-4
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PRIMARY
RXCUI
203179
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PRIMARY RxNorm
All of the following components must be present:
Definition References