Nefazodone hydrochloride (
Serzone®) is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of
depression (also known as major depression or clinical depression).
Nefazodone was originally manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb. However, Bristol-Myers Squibb voluntarily stopped making nefazodone, due to concerns of liver toxicity
(see Serzone and Liver Failure). Generic nefazodone is still available and is made by a few manufacturers.
How Does Nefazodone Work?
It is not entirely clear how nefazodone works. There are no other medications that work exactly like nefazodone. Nefazodone acts on specific chemicals within the brain known as serotonin and norepinephrine. Serotonin and norepinephrine are chemicals used to send messages between nerves; when serotonin and norepinephrine levels become unbalanced, however, it can cause a variety of conditions, including depression. Nefazodone helps to block the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine so that more is available for the nerves in the brain, returning the serotonin back to its "normal" levels. However, unlike selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (
SSRIs), nefazodone may also block certain types of serotonin receptors.
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