Captodiame
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Captodiame (INN), also known as captodiamine, is an antihistamine sold under the trade names Covatine, Covatix, and Suvren which is used as a sedative and anxiolytic. It is a derivative of diphenhydramine.[1]
A 2004 study suggested captodiame may be helpful in preventing benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome in people discontinuing benzodiazepine treatment.[1]
In addition to its actions as an antihistamine, captodiamine has been found to act as a 5-HT2C receptor antagonist and σ1 receptor and D3 receptor agonist.[2] It produces antidepressant-like effects in rats.[2] However, captodiamine is unique among antidepressant-like drugs in that it increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the hypothalamus but not in the frontal cortex or hippocampus.[2] This unique action may be related to its ability to attenuate stress-induced anhedonia and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) signaling in the hypothalamus.[2]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Mercier-Guyon C, Chabannes JP, Saviuc P (2004). “The role of captodiamine in the withdrawal from long-term benzodiazepine treatment”. Curr Med Res Opin. 20 (9): 1347–55. doi:10.1185/030079904125004457. PMID 15383182. Free full text with registration
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Ring RM, Regan CM (October 2013). “Captodiamine, a putative antidepressant, enhances hypothalamic BDNF expression in vivo by synergistic 5-HT2c receptor antagonism and sigma-1 receptor agonism”. J. Psychopharmacol. (Oxford). 27 (10): 930–9. doi:10.1177/0269881113497614. PMID 23863923.
© 2026 MyEClinic – IFTM Institut für Telematik in der Medizin GmbH