A Comprehensive Monograph on Paroxetine: Pharmacology, Clinical Profile, and Comparative Analysis

Section 1: Drug Identification and Physicochemical Properties

This section establishes the fundamental identity of paroxetine, detailing its chemical nomenclature, structural properties, and the various salt formulations that are critical to understanding its clinical applications and research context.

1.1 Nomenclature and Identifiers

Paroxetine is a well-established small molecule drug belonging to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class of antidepressants.[1] Its generic name is recognized internationally, with variants including Paroxetina and Paroxetinum.[1] Chemically, it is classified as a phenylpiperidine derivative and contains several key functional groups, including a benzodioxole, an organofluorine compound, and an aromatic ether, and is functionally related to monofluorobenzene.[2]

The precise chemical structure is defined by its stereochemistry, with the biologically active form being the (−)-(3S,4R)-diastereomer.[2] This specificity is reflected in its formal IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) names:

(−)-(3S,4R)-4-(p-fluorophenyl)-3-((3,4-(methylenedioxy)phenoxy)methyl)piperidine and (3S-trans)-3-((1,3-benzodioxol-5-yloxy)methyl)-4-(4-fluorophenyl)piperidine.[1]

For unambiguous identification across scientific and regulatory databases, paroxetine is assigned a series of unique identifiers. The most prominent of these are:

• DrugBank ID: DB00715 [1]
• CAS (Chemical Abstracts Service) Number: 61869-08-7 for the parent base molecule [1]
• PubChem Compound ID (CID): 43815 [3]

Additional identifiers facilitate cross-referencing in various databases, including ChEBI (CHEBI:7936), ChEMBL (CHEMBL490), KEGG (D02362), and the FDA UNII code (41VRH5220H).[2] During its development, it was also known by research codes such as BRL 29060 and FG-7051.[1]