tricyclic antidepressant

noun

Definition of tricyclic antidepressant

: any of a group of antidepressant drugs (such as imipramine and amitriptyline) that contain three fused benzene rings, potentiate the action of catecholamines (such as norepinephrine and serotonin) by inhibiting their uptake by nerve endings, and do not inhibit the action of monoamine oxidase

— called also tricyclic

Examples of tricyclic antidepressant in a Sentence

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These include prescription antihistamines, OTC antihistamines, tricyclic antidepressants, some heartburn medications, and certain asthma drugs. — Korin Miller, SELF, "Here’s Exactly What to Expect If You Need Allergy Testing," 5 Sep. 2018 Possible treatments include blood pressure drugs like beta-blockers; anticonvulsant agents like topirimate (Topamax); and tricyclic antidepressants like imipramine (Tofranil). — Jane E. Brody, New York Times, "Giving Migraine Treatments the Best Chance," 18 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tricyclic antidepressant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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tricyclene

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18 Nov 2018

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The first known use of tricyclic antidepressant was in 1966

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tricyclic antidepressant

noun

Medical Definition of tricyclic antidepressant

: any of a group of antidepressant drugs (as imipramine, amitriptyline, desipramine, and nortriptyline) that contain three fused benzene rings, that potentiate the action of catecholamines (as norepinephrine and serotonin) by inhibiting their uptake by nerve endings, and that do not inhibit the action of monoamine oxidase