Chemistry Keeps Us Healthy

Amitriptyline is included in this years National Chemistry Week 2004 "Health and Awareness"becauseit was developed out of a need for anti-anxiety medications in the treatment of mental illness in humans.  Amitriptyline belongs to a class of similar drugs called tricyclic antidepressants.  Amitriptyline is prescribed to treat depression, bulimia, chronic pain from a variety of conditions including fibromyalgia, reduce the incidence of chronic headache or migraine, ulcers, uncontrollable hiccups, primary insomnia, and to control the involuntary crying and laughing experienced by individuals with multiple sclerosis.
 
 


Forms in which it's administered:
Injection:
5mL to 10mL injcted through a needle. 

Suspension:
Each 5 mL of light red, oral suspension contains: Amitriptyline embonate equivalent to amitriptyline base 10 mg. Nonmedicinal ingredients: Carmoisine indigatine, methyl- and propylparaben, sorbitol, tragacanth and natural and artificial flavors. Bottles of 250 mL. 

Tablets:
10 mg:
Each blue, biconvex, discoid-shaped, film-coated tablet, engraved MSD 23 on one side, contains: Amitriptyline HCl 10 mg. Nonmedicinal ingredients: Brilliant blue (sodium and sodium alumina), calcium phosphate dibasic dihydrate, carnauba wax, colloidal silicon dioxide, cornstarch, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, lactose, magnesium stearate, powdered cellulose, stearic acid, talc and titanium dioxide. Bottles of 100. 

25 mg:
Each yellow, biconvex, discoid-shaped, film-coated tablet, engraved MSD 45 on one side, contains: Amitriptyline HCl 25 mg. Nonmedicinal ingredients: Brilliant blue sodium alumina, calcium phosphate dibasic dihydrate, colloidal silicon dioxide, cornstarch, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, lactose, magnesium stearate, powdered cellulose, quinoline yellow, stearic acid, sunset yellow, talc and titanium dioxide. Bottles of 100 and 500. 

50 mg:
Each beige, biconvex, discoid-shaped, film-coated tablet, engraved MSD 102 on one side, contains: Amitriptyline HCl 50 mg. Nonmedicinal ingredients: Calcium phosphate dibasic dihydrate, colloidal silicon dioxide, cornstarch, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, lactose, magnesium stearate, powdered cellulose, quinoline yellow, red and black iron oxides, stearic acid, sunset yellow, talc and titanium dioxide. Bottles of 100. 

75 mg:
Each orange, biconvex, discoid-shaped, film-coated tablet, engraved MSD 430 on one side, contains: Amitriptyline HCl 75 mg. Nonmedicinal ingredients: Calcium phosphate dibasic dihydrate, colloidal silicon dioxide, cornstarch, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, lactose, magnesium stearate, powdered cellulose, stearic acid, sunset yellow alumina, talc and titanium dioxide. Bottles of 100.
 
U.S. Brand Names:  Elavil and Enovil   Canadian Brand Names:  Apo and Levate
 
 
 
C20H23N·HCl

structure



 
 
Neat chemisty facts about Amitriptyline:
- Dibenzocycloheptadiene derivative
- Has a molecular weight of 313.87
- It is white
- Odorless
- Crystalline compound 
- It is freely soluble in water

References:
Armstrong, Lora L., Morton P. Goldman, Leonard L. Lance, Charles F. Lacy. Drug Information Handbook.  Lexi-
Corp. Inc., Hudson, Ohio. 1999.
Page prepared by: Tabetha Osborn
dreamsofchemistry@yahoo.com


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