fluant

Fluanxetine is a synthetic chemical compound used primarily as an antidepressant and anxiolytic. It belongs to the class of serotonergic antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Fluanxetine gained importance in the 1980s for its efficacy in both antidepressant and anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) properties.

The chemical structure and properties of fluanxetine resemble those of other SSRIs, particularly fluoxetine, which was the first commercially successful SSRI to be approved by the US FDA. However, the broader pharmacological profile of fluanxetine includes not only reuptake inhibition but also a degree of serotonin agonism. This distinctiveness led the developers to propose it as a potential treatment for generalized anxiety disorder and other conditions where some degree of mood elevation was sought.

Early studies showed positive outcomes of fluanxetine in clinical trials for depression, social anxiety, and generalized anxiety disorder. However, a fewer number of publications and, more notably, a complete absence of fluanxetine as a subject in clinical practice guidelines suggest it may have been mostly overlooked or considered unnecessary or ineffective by the psychiatric community.

Synthetic production of fluanxetine is lower in comparison to many well-known and heavily publicized SSRIs. Follow-up research by various clinical trials does not exist or is inconclusive, and toxicity studies were mostly cursorily reported, indicating no major harmful effects in cases of overdosing. The potency and efficacy still have a continuous evaluation that has yet to bring fluanxetine to forefront of antidepressants and anxiolytics.