Duloxetine
CymbaltaPubChem CID 60835 · 3D model
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Raises both serotonin and norepinephrine by blocking their reabsorption into nerve cells, hitting both fairly evenly from the start rather than starting serotonin-only like venlafaxine — part of why it's also approved for several chronic pain conditions, not just depression and anxiety.
How it works
Duloxetine raises both serotonin and norepinephrine by blocking their reabsorption into nerve cells, the same basic trick as venlafaxine, also on this site — but it engages both chemicals in a more balanced way from the start, rather than acting mostly on serotonin first and only picking up its norepinephrine effect at higher doses the way venlafaxine does. That steadier, dual action is part of why duloxetine, unlike venlafaxine, is also approved to treat several chronic pain conditions, not just depression and anxiety.
What it’s used for
Duloxetine (Cymbalta) treats depression and generalized anxiety, like venlafaxine — but it's also approved for several chronic pain conditions: nerve pain from diabetes, fibromyalgia, and ongoing pain from muscles and joints, such as chronic low back pain or osteoarthritis.
- Mechanism
- Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI)
- Drug class
- Small molecule
- Therapeutic area
- CNS / Psychiatric