User:Mr. Ibrahem/Bupropion

Bupropion, sold under the brand names Wellbutrin and Zyban among others, is a medication primarily used to treat major depressive disorder and to support stopping smoking. It is a moderately effective antidepressant on its own, but it is also used as an add-on medication in cases of incomplete response to first-line SSRI antidepressants. Bupropion is taken in tablet form and is available only by prescription in industrialized countries.

Common side effects include a dry mouth, difficulty sleeping, agitation, and headaches. Serious side effects include an increased risk for epileptic seizures and suicide. In comparison to some other antidepressants, bupropion may have a lower rate of sexual dysfunction or sleepiness and may result in weight loss. It is unclear if its use during pregnancy or breastfeeding is safe.

Bupropion is an atypical antidepressant. It acts as a norepinephrine–dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI) and a nicotinic receptor antagonist. Chemically, it is an aminoketone that belongs to the class of substituted cathinones and is similar to phenethylamines.

Bupropion was first made by chemist Nariman Mehta in 1969, and patented by Burroughs Wellcome in 1974. It was first approved for medical use in the United States in 1985. It was originally called by the generic name amfebutamone, before being renamed in 2000. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. In the United States, the wholesale cost per dose is less than US$0.50. In 2017, it was the 23rd most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 24 million prescriptions.