Small molecule
PubChem CID 68617
Sertraline
Zoloft
- Mechanism of action
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
- In plain language
- Increases the amount of serotonin available in the brain by blocking its reabsorption into nerve cells, helping regulate mood.
- How it works
- Sertraline is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor that potently and selectively inhibits presynaptic neuronal uptake of serotonin in the central nervous system, increasing synaptic availability of serotonin. Unlike older antidepressants, sertraline has minimal affinity for norepinephrine or dopamine transporters and negligible activity at muscarinic, histaminergic, or adrenergic receptors, and it does not inhibit monoamine oxidase. This selectivity underlies its comparatively favorable side-effect profile relative to tricyclic antidepressants and MAOIs.
- Therapeutic applications
- FDA-approved for major depressive disorder in adults, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, posttraumatic stress disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and social anxiety disorder.
- Class
- Small molecule
- Therapeutic area
- CNS / Psychiatric
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