Bupropion is an antidepressant medication used to treat major depressive disorder and seasonal affective disorder.
Side Effects
insomnia, nausea, pharyngitis, weight loss, constipation, dizziness, headache, and xerostomia.
Avoid taking last dose of the day after 5 pm to minimize the risk of insomnia.
Bupropion may affect your judgment and your ability to drive or operate machinery. Avoid performing hazardous tasks such as driving if bupropion has this effect on you.
Your blood pressure might get too high while you are using this medicine. This may cause headaches, dizziness, or blurred vision. You might need to measure your blood pressure at home.
Bupropion may cause some people to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors. It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies or to become more depressed.
Do not use bupropion within 14 days before or 14 days after you have used a MAO inhibitor, such as isocarboxazid, linezolid, etc.
Pharmacology
The exact mechanism of action of bupropion is not fully understood. What is known is that bupropion enhances both noradrenergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission via reuptake inhibition of the norepinephrine transporter and the dopamine transporter. In addition, its mechanism of action may involve the presynaptic release of norepinephrine and dopamine.
A more recently discovered pharmacological property of bupropion is its affinity for nicotinic receptors. Bupropion is a non competitive antagonist of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. This is thought to contribute to its antidepressant effects, as well as to its effectiveness as smoking cessation drug.
Dosage
Bupropion XL 150 mg