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Paxil® (paroxetine hydrochloride) is a prescription medicine used to treat a number of conditions within the brain.
Paxil is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. Generic versions are made by several manufacturers.
Paxil is licensed to treat a number of conditions. These uses include the treatment of:
- Depression (also known as major depression or clinical depression)
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Panic disorder
- Social anxiety disorder
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
(Click Paxil Uses for more information, including possible off-label uses.)
Paxil is part of a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs for short. SSRIs act on a specific chemical in the brain known as serotonin. This is one of several chemicals used to send messages from one nerve cell to another.
As a message travels down a nerve, it causes the end of the cell to release serotonin. The serotonin enters the gap between the first nerve cell and the one next to it. When enough serotonin reaches the second nerve cell, it activates receptors on the cell, and the message continues on its way. The first cell then quickly absorbs any serotonin that remains in the gap between cells. This is called "reuptake."
Normally, this process works without any problems. But when the levels of serotonin become unbalanced, it can cause a variety of conditions, including depression. Paxil helps to block the reuptake of serotonin so that more remains in the space between the brain's nerve cells. This gives the serotonin a better chance of activating the receptors on the next nerve cell.
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