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Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Network Pharmacology and Validation of the Antidepressant Mechanisms of Qiangzhifang in a Chronic Restraint Stress-induced Depression Rat Model
Published on: June 6, 2025
Use of antidepressants: expansion beyond depression and anxiety
Elisa F Cascade1, Amir H Kalali, Michael E Thase
1Ms. Cascade is Vice President, Strategic Research and Safety, Quintiles Inc., Falls Church, Virginia.
Abstract:
We investigated antidepressant prescriptions and reasons for use. According to our data, the top 10 molecules represent approximately 95% of total antidepressant prescriptions for both primary care physicians (PCPs) and psychiatrists. The primary difference between PCPs and psychiatrists was the increased use of buproprion and tricyclics/tetracyclics by psychiatrists. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and other newer antidepressants such as venlafaxine (Effexor) and buproprion (Wellbutrin) are used to treat depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorders. The noted exception is duloxetine (Cymbalta), which looks like a blend between the newer agents and the tricyclics where there is use beyond the traditional central nervous system (CNS) disorders into pain and migraine.
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1. Benzodiazepines:
Benzodiazepines bind to the GABA-A receptor in the brain, enhancing GABA's interaction. This action reduces neurotransmission, effectively blocking anxiety-associated limbic circuitry.
Depression: Overview
