BUPROPION SUSTAINED-RELEASE - A THERAPEUTIC OVERVIEW

Sustained-release bupropion (bupropion SR) represents a new form of an already known effective antidepressant drug. Its pharmacokinetics, me chanism of action, metabolism, and efficacy are reviewed. Benefit rela tive to placebo has been demonstrated in two large multicenter trials, with low doses (100 or 150 mg) having been shown to have therapeutic efficacy. An overview of all placebo-controlled trials of bupropion SR is given, and the differential properties of bupropion and serotonerg ic drugs are described. The concept of a catecholamine-indolamine spec trum is presented, along with its implications for possible differenti al therapeutics of selective antidepressants.