- published: 23 Jun 2013
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Amoxapine (pronounced: a-mox-a-peen. Notable brand names include: Asendin, Asendis, Defanyl, Demolox. See here for more brand name information) is a tetracyclic antidepressant of the dibenzoxazepine family, though it is often classified as a secondary amine tricyclic antidepressant. It is the N-demethylated metabolite of loxapine. It first received marketing approval in the US in 1992 (approximately thirty to forty years after most of the other tricyclic antidepressants were introduced in the US).
Amoxapine is used in the treatment of major depressive disorder. Compared to other antidepressants it is believed to have a faster onset of action, with therapeutic effects seen within four to seven days. In excess of 80% of patients that do respond to amoxapine are reported to respond within a fortnight of the beginning of treatment. It also has properties similar to those of the atypical antipsychotics, and may behave as one and may be used in the treatment of schizophrenia off-label. Despite its apparent lack of extrapyramidal side effects in patients with schizophrenia it has been found to exacerbate motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease psychosis.