- Also called:
- 2-(tert-butylamino)-1-(3-chlorophenyl)propan-1-one
- Related Topics:
- attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
- antidepressant
- On the Web:
- National Center for Biotechnology Information - Bupropion (Oct. 24, 2026)
bupropion
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What is bupropion?
Bupropion is a drug used to treat depression and to prevent depression in persons with seasonal affective disorder. It can also aid in smoking cessation. Bupropion typically is taken orally as bupropion hydrochloride.
Bupropion is used to treat major depressive disorder and is intended to help prevent depressive symptoms from returning once patients have recovered. For seasonal affective disorder, extended-release bupropion is typically taken once a day in the morning, starting in early fall and continuing throughout winter.
Side effects include dry mouth, blurred vision, drowsiness, and headaches. On rare occasions, individuals taking bupropion have experienced thoughts of suicide.
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What is bupropion used to treat?
Bupropion is a drug used to treat major depressive disorder and prevent depression in people with seasonal affective disorder. Treatment for major depressive disorder is usually long-term, helping to prevent the return of depressive symptoms. For seasonal affective disorder, extended-release bupropion is typically taken once a day in the morning, starting in early fall and continuing throughout winter. Bupropion can also treat bipolar disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in some cases.
Bupropion can also help people stop smoking by reducing nicotine cravings and easing withdrawal symptoms. It does not contain nicotine, so nicotine-replacement products are often used alongside it. Patients usually start taking it one to two weeks before quitting smoking to build up a base level of the drug in the body and continue for 7 to 12 weeks after quitting.
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How does bupropion work in the brain?
Bupropion affects the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, which reduces both withdrawal symptoms and the urge to smoke. It is different from other antidepressants and exerts its effects through different mechanisms. It is used to treat major depressive disorder and helps prevent depressive symptoms from returning. For seasonal affective disorder, extended-release bupropion is taken once a day in the morning, starting in early fall and continuing throughout winter.
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What are some common side effects of bupropion?
Common side effects of bupropion include dry mouth, blurred vision, drowsiness, and headaches. Some patients may experience mood changes, confusion, eye pain, or weight loss. Muscle and joint pain, as well as increased blood pressure, have also been reported. More serious but less frequent side effects can include seizures, irregular heartbeats, and hallucinations. In rare cases, bupropion has been associated with suicidal thoughts, necessitating monitoring by a doctor during treatment.
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Why might someone be prescribed bupropion instead of other antidepressants?
Bupropion is prescribed for major depressive disorder, including seasonal affective disorder, and sometimes for bipolar disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. It is also used to help people stop smoking by reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms, often alongside nicotine replacement.
Bupropion differs from other antidepressants like SSRIs, tricyclic antidepressants, and MAOIs, and exerts its effects through different mechanisms. Unlike SSRIs, which primarily affect serotonin, bupropion's unique mechanism and potential for fewer sexual side effects may make it preferable for some individuals.
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How is bupropion different from other medications for depression or quitting smoking?
Bupropion is used to treat major depressive disorder and seasonal affective disorder, and to aid in smoking cessation. Unlike nicotine replacement therapies, bupropion does not contain nicotine. It helps reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms by affecting the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine.
Bupropion is distinct from other antidepressant classes like SSRIs, tricyclic antidepressants, and MAOIs, and exerts its effects through different mechanisms. It's chemically unrelated to other antidepressants. Some common side effects include dry mouth, blurred vision, and headaches.
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bupropion, drug that is used to treat depression, to prevent depression in persons with seasonal affective disorder, or sometimes to aid in smoking cessation. Bupropion typically is taken orally in the form of bupropion hydrochloride.
Historical developments
Bupropion was developed in 1966 and patented in 1974 by Burroughs Wellcome (later GlaxoSmithKline). In 1985 it was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and marketed under the name Wellbutrin. Initially, patients given the drug were administered doses between 400 and 600 mg. The following year the drug was taken off the market, owing to the occurrence of seizures. In 1989, following a reduction in the maximum prescribed dose, to 450 mg, the drug was reintroduced.
The later development of a sustained-release tablet led to approval of a new version of bupropion by the FDA in 1996. The sustained-release form allowed a controlled amount of the drug to be absorbed by the body, thereby reducing the number of seizures experienced by patients. The sustained-release tablet was marketed under the name Zyban. In 2003, under the name Wellbutrin XL, an extended-release version of the drug was made available. This form allowed patients to take the drug just once a day and reduced the probability of suffering a seizure to be equivalent to that of most other antidepressants.
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Uses
Bupropion primarily is used in the treatment of major depressive disorder, in which affected individuals suffer severe symptoms of depression. Treatment usually is long-term, with the intention of helping to prevent depressive symptoms from returning once patients have recovered. For seasonal affective disorder, extended-released bupropion typically is taken once a day in the morning starting in early fall and continuing throughout winter (the months when seasonal affective disorder is most common). Usually, a lower dose is prescribed two weeks prior to the end of the treatment to ease the process of stopping the medication. Bupropion is sometimes used to treat patients with bipolar disorder when episodes of depression are reported. In some cases, it may be prescribed to patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Bupropion often is incorporated into programs to help individuals stop smoking. The medication itself does not contain nicotine, the chemical responsible for addiction to smoking, and, thus, nicotine-replacement products typically are used alongside bupropion as part of a successful smoking-cessation program. In this application, bupropion helps to reduce nicotine cravings and eases the symptoms of withdrawal. Patients usually start taking bupropion one to two weeks before they actually quit smoking in order to allow a base level of the drug to build up in the body. It is also recommended that it be taken for 7 to 12 weeks after quitting smoking.
Side effects
Various side effects have been reported in patients who take bupropion. Side effects include dry mouth, blurred vision, drowsiness, eye pain, mood changes, confusion, weight loss, headaches, muscle and joint pain, and an increase in blood pressure. Seizures, irregular heartbeats, and hallucinations may also occur. On rare occasions, individuals taking bupropion have experienced thoughts of suicide. Therefore, patients on the medication generally are monitored by a doctor for the duration of treatment.