Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 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
A systematic, updated review on the antidepressant agomelatine focusing on its melatonergic modulation
Michele Fornaro1, Davide Prestia, Salvatore Colicchio
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy.
Objective:
To present an updated, comprehensive review on clinical and pre-clinical studies on agomelatine.
Method:
A MEDLINE, Psycinfo and Web of Science search (1966-May 2009) was performed using the following keywords: agomelatine, melatonin, S20098, efficacy, safety, adverse effect, pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Alzheimer, ADHD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder (PD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), anxiety disorders and mood disorder. STUDY COLLECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: All articles in English identified by the data sources were evaluated. Randomized, controlled clinical trials involving humans were prioritized in the review. The physiological bases of melatonergic transmission were also examined to deepen the clinical comprehension of agomelatine' melatonergic modulation.
Data Synthesis:
Agomelatine, a melatonergic analogue drug acting as MT(1)/MT(2) agonist and 5-HT(2C) antagonist, has been reported to be an effective antidepressant therapy.
Conclusions:
Although a bias in properly assessing the "sleep core" of depression may still exist with current screening instruments, therefore making difficult to compare agomelatine' efficacy to other antidepressant ones, comparative studies showed agomelatine to be an intriguing option for depression and, potentially, for other therapeutic targets as well.
Related Concept Videos
Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
Antidepressant Drugs: Overview
Management of Insomnia
Antidepressant Drugs: Tricyclics, SSRIs, and SNRIs
G-protein Coupled Receptors
