Oleptro™ (
trazodone ER) is a prescription medication approved for the treatment of
depression. It is a long-acting, once-daily version of an older depression medication.
Who Makes This Medication?
Oleptro is made by Labopharm Europe Limited.
It is not entirely clear how Oleptro works. There are no other medications that work exactly like it (other than the short-acting version of
trazodone). It is known that Oleptro acts on a specific chemical within the brain known as serotonin. Serotonin is one of several chemicals used to send messages in between the nerves; but, when serotonin levels become unbalanced, it can cause a variety of conditions, including depression.
Oleptro helps to block the reuptake of serotonin (so that more serotonin is available for the nerves in the brain), which returns serotonin back to its "normal" levels. However, unlike selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (
SSRIs), trazodone may also block certain serotonin receptors.
Studies have shown that Oleptro can significantly improve depression symptoms, compared to a placebo (a "sugar pill" with no active ingredients).
Additionally, the
antidepressant activity of trazodone has been well demonstrated in many clinical studies of the short-acting version of this medication.
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