mianserin mianserin mianserin, sold under the brand name tolvon among others, is an atypical antidepressant that is used primarily in the treatment of depression in europe and elsewhere in the world. it is a tetracyclic antidepressant (teca). mianserin is closely related to mirtazapine, both chemically and in terms of its actions and effects, although there are significant differences between the two drugs. not to be confused with ritanserin. mianserinclinical datatrade namestolvon, othersother namesmianserin hydrochloride; org gb 94pregnancycategory au: b2 routes ofadministrationby mouthatc coden06ax03 (who) legal statuslegal status au: s4 (prescription only) uk: pom (prescription only) us: not fda approved pharmacokinetic databioavailability20–30%protein binding95%metabolismliver (cyp2d6; via aromatic hydroxylation, n-oxidation, n-demethylation)elimination half-life21–61 hoursexcretionurine: 4–7%feces: 14–28%identifiers iupac name (±)-2-methyl-1,2,3,4,10,14b-hexahydrodibenzopyrazinoazepine cas number24219-97-4 y 21535-47-7 (hydrochloride)51152-88-6 ((s)-isomer)pubchem cid4184iuphar/bps135drugbankdb06148 nchemspider4040 yunii250pji13lmkeggd08216 ychebichebi:51137 nchemblchembl6437 ycomptox dashboard (epa)dtxsid6023317 echa infocard100.041.884 chemical and physical dataformulac18h20n2molar mass264.372 g·mol−13d model (jsmol)interactive image smiles c42c(n3c(c1ccccc1c2)cn(c)cc3)cccc4 inchi inchi=1s/c18h20n2/c1-19-10-11-20-17-9-5-3-7-15(17)12-14-6-2-4-8-16(14)18(20)13-19/h2-9,18h,10-13h2,1h3 ykey:uequqvlfipoemf-uhfffaoysa-n y ny (what is this?) (verify) medical uses mianserin at higher doses (30–90mg/day) is used for the treatment of major depressive disorder. it can also be used at lower doses (around 10mg/day) to treat insomnia. contraindications it should not be given, except if based on clinical need and under strict medical supervision, to people younger than 18 years old, as it can increase the risk of suicide attempts and suicidal thinking, and it can increase aggressiveness. while there is no evidence that it can harm a fetus from animal models, there are no data showing it safe for pregnant women to take. people with severe liver disease should not take mianserin, and it should be used with caution for people with epilepsy or who are at risk for seizures, as it can lower the threshold for seizures. if based on clinical decision, normal precautions should be exercised and the dosages of mianserin and any concurrent therapy kept under review and adjusted as needed. side effects very common (incidence > 10%) adverse effects include constipation, dry mouth, and drowsiness at the beginning of treatment. common (1% < incidence ≤ 10%) adverse effects include drowsiness during maintenance therapy, tremor, headache, dizziness, vertigo, and weakness. uncommon (0.1% < incidence ≤ 1%) adverse effects include weight gain. withdrawal abrupt or rapid discontinuation of mianserin may provoke a withdrawal, the effects of which may include depression, anxiety, panic attacks, decreased appetite or anorexia, insomnia, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, and flu-like symptoms, such as allergies or pruritus, among others. overdose overdose of mianserin is known to produce sedation, coma, hypotension or hypertension, tachycardia, and qt interval prolongation. interactions mianserin may enhance the sedative effects of drugs such as alcohol, anxiolytics, hypnotics, or antipsychotics when co-administered. it may decrease the efficacy of antiepileptic medications. carbamazepine and phenobarbital will cause the body to metabolize mianserin faster and may reduce its effects. there is a risk of dangerously low blood pressure if people take mianserin along with diazoxide, hydralazine, or nitroprusside. mianserin can make antihistamines and antimuscarinics have stronger effects. mianserin should not be taken with apraclonidine, brimonidine, sibutramine, or the combination drug of artemether with lumefantrine. pharmacology pharmacodynamics