Small molecule · CNS / Psychiatric
Venlafaxine
EffexorSmall moleculeSerotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI)
PubChem CID 5656 · 3D model
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Raises both serotonin and norepinephrine by blocking their reabsorption into nerve cells, acting mostly like the SSRIs already on this site at low doses before its norepinephrine effect kicks in at higher ones.
How it works
Venlafaxine raises levels of two mood-related brain chemicals, serotonin and norepinephrine, by blocking their reabsorption into nerve cells. At low doses it acts mostly like the SSRIs already on this site, working on serotonin alone; at higher doses it also starts affecting norepinephrine, which is why it's classified separately as an SNRI.
What it’s used for
Venlafaxine is used to treat depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and panic disorder.
- Mechanism
- Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI)
- Drug class
- Small molecule
- Therapeutic area
- CNS / Psychiatric