Canadian Medical Guide > Chemicals and Drugs > Polycyclic Hydrocarbons > Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic > Benzocycloheptenes > Dibenzocycloheptenes Terms and Definitions

Dibenzocycloheptenes

Medical Definition:

A family of tricyclic hydrocarbons whose members include many of the commonly used tricyclic antidepressants (ANTIDEPRESSIVE AGENTS, TRICYCLIC).

Dibenzocycloheptenes Categories.

	Amitriptyline - Tricyclic antidepressant with anticholinergic and sedative properties. It appears to prevent the re-uptake of norepinephrine and serotonin at nerve terminals, thus potentiating the action of these neurotransmitters. Amitriptyline also appears to antaganize cholinergic and alpha-1 adrenergic responses to bioactive amines.
	Butaclamol - A benzocycloheptapyridoisoquinolinol that has been used as an antipsychotic, especially in schizophrenia.
	Dizocilpine Maleate - A potent noncompetitive antagonist of the NMDA receptor (RECEPTORS, N-METHYL-D-ASPARTATE) used mainly as a research tool. The drug has been considered for the wide variety of neurodegenerative conditions or disorders in which NMDA receptors may play an important role. Its use has been primarily limited to animal and tissue experiments because of its psychotropic effects.
	Nortriptyline - A metabolite of AMITRYPTYLINE that is also used as an antidepressive agent. Nortriptyline is used in major depression, dysthymia, and atypical depressions.
	Protriptyline - Tricyclic antidepressant similar in action and side effects to IMIPRAMINE. It may produce excitation.

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