Bupropion Sustained Release: A Therapeutic Overview

Sustained-release bupropion (bupropion SR) represents a new form of an already known effectiveantidepressant drug. Its pharmacokinetics, mechanism of action, metabolism, and efficacy are reviewed.Benefit relative to placebo has been demonstrated in two large multicenter trials, with lowdoses (100 or 150 mg) having been shown to have therapeutic efficacy. An overview of all placebocontrolledtrials of bupropion SR is given, and the differential properties of bupropion and serotonergicdrugs are described. The concept of a catecholamine-indolamine spectrum is presented, along withits implications for possible differential therapeutics of selective antidepressants.