Doxepin

Etki Mekanizması

At ultra-low doses (3-6 mg), doxepin's mechanism of action is dominated by potent and selective antagonism of the histamine H1 receptor. Doxepin has one of the highest affinities for the H1 receptor of any known compound (Ki approximately 0.17 nM), which means that even at very low plasma concentrations, it effectively blocks histaminergic wakefulness signaling. The histamine system is a key component of the ascending arousal pathway -- histaminergic neurons in the tuberomammillary nucleus of the hypothalamus fire during wakefulness and become quiescent during sleep. By blocking H1 receptors, ultra-low dose doxepin reduces this wake-promoting signal, particularly during the latter half of the night when endogenous histamine levels naturally begin to rise, which is why it is especially effective for sleep maintenance insomnia. At these low doses, doxepin has negligible affinity for muscarinic, adrenergic, and serotonergic receptors, which explains the absence of anticholinergic side effects (dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention) and cardiovascular effects that plague higher-dose TCA use. At antidepressant doses (75-300 mg), doxepin additionally inhibits reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine and blocks muscarinic, alpha-1 adrenergic, and 5-HT2 receptors, producing a much broader and less selective pharmacological profile.