Atomoxetine Hydrochloride 83015-26-3
Atomoxetine is a drug approved for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is sold in the form of the hydrochloride salt of atomoxetine, a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. This compound is manufactured, marketed and sold in the United States under the brand name Strattera by Eli Lilly and Company, the original patent filing company, and current U. S. patent owner. Generics of atomoxetine are sold in all other countries; they are manufactured by Torrent Pharmaceuticals using the label Tomoxetin, Ranbaxy Laboratories (through its Division: Solus) using the label Attentin, Sun Pharmaceuticals (through its Division: Milmet Pharmaceuticals), and Intas Biopharmaceuticals. There is currently no generic manufactured directly in the United States since it is under patent until 2017.
Use
Classified as a norepinephrine (noradrenaline) reuptake inhibitor, atomoxetine is approved for use in children, adolescents, and adults. However, its efficacy has not been studied in children under six years old. Its advantage over stimulants for the treatment of ADHD is that it has less abuse potential than stimulants, is not scheduled as a controlled substance and has shown in clinical trials to offer 24-hour coverage of symptoms associated with ADHD in adults and children. Full therapeutic effects of atomoxetine may take at least a week to be felt. Atomoxetine should be taken for 6–8 weeks before deciding whether it is effective or not. Many people respond to atomoxetine who don't respond to stimulants. Atomoxetine has a low abuse potential. Strattera was originally intended to be a new antidepressant drug; however, in clinical trials, no such benefits could be proven. Since norepinephrine is believed to play a role in ADHD, Strattera was tested – and subsequently approved – as an ADHD treatment.
Nomenclature
Atomoxetine was originally known as "tomoxetine". However, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested the name be changed because, in their opinion, the similarity of "tomoxetine" to "tamoxifen" (a breast cancer drug) could lead to dispensing errors at pharmacies.
| Systematic (IUPAC) name: | (3R)-N-methyl-3-(2-methylphenoxy)-3-phenyl-propan-1-amine; (R)-N-methyl-3-phenyl-3-(o-tolyloxy)propan-1-amine |
|---|---|
| Atomoxetine Hydrochloride CAS number: | 83015-26-3 |
| ATC code: | N06BA09 |
| PubChem: | 54841 |
| DrugBank: | APRD00614 |
| Formula: | C17H21N1O1 |
| Molecular mass: | 255.355 291.820 (hydrochloride) g/mol |
| Atomoxetine Hydrochloride Assay/Purity: | Typically NLT 98% |
