The pharmacologic basis for therapeutic interest in bupropion

Bupropion, a compound chemically dissimilar to tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors, was found to be active in animal models that are predictive of antidepressant activity in man. Bupropion was also found to be pharmacologically and biochemically distinct from tricyclics and monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Furthermore, it lacked anticholinergic activity, was not sympathomimetic, and was at least 10-fold weaker as a cardiac depressant than the tricyclic antidepressants. It was concluded that bupropion would be better tolerated and safer in man than standard therapies and that its pharmacologic and biochemical profile held out the possibility of novel antidepressant actions.