Fluoxetine

The description of Fluoxetine.

Fluoxetine, or commonly referred to as Prozac, is a very popular antidepressant drug belonging to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor class. The drug is indicated mainly for the treatment of depression but has other uses as well such as obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorders, premenstrual dysphonic disorder and panic disorder. Manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company, a large global pharmaceutical company, fluoxetine was approved for use in the United States by the FDA in December of 1987. The drug was the fourth SSRI of it’s kind to appear on the market and Eli Lilly made sure that in popular culture it made a name for itself as being a scientific breakthrough. Along with the prescribing indications of fluoxetine in depression, there are other conditions that the drug has been proven effective in as well.

Studies have shown that it has an effect in treating bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, panic disorders, pediatric depression, obsessive compulsive disorder in pediatrics and premenstrual dysphonic disorder. Eli Lilly and Company, one of the world’s largest corporations, is also responsible for manufacturing many other well known drugs including Cymbalta, another antidepressant that works in different ways than fluoxetine. Some of the companies other products include Cialis (tadalafil), Cymbalta (duloxetine), Gemzar (gemcitabine) and Thimerosal (thiomersal). To name but just a few.

Some of the other major products on the United States SSRI market comparable to fluoxetine are Paxil which is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, Celexa, manufactured by Forest Laboratories and Zoloft which is produced by Pfizer. Because of the popularity of the drug there have been numerous references to Prozac, the brand name, in our culture including books, songs, movies and band names. Although the availability of new drugs comparable to fluoxetine is vast, the drug remains popular in it’s use. It is reported that Fluoxetine is the third most prescribed drug of it’s kind.