Imipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) widely used to treat depression, anxiety disorders, and certain types of chronic pain. It was first synthesized in the 1950s by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Geigy (now part of Novartis) and introduced clinically in the late 1950s as the first marketed TCA. Imipramine works primarily by inhibiting the reuptake of neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain, enhancing mood and emotional stability. Its discovery marked a major advancement in psychiatric medicine, shifting treatment from purely supportive care to pharmacological intervention for mood disorders. Over the decades, imipramine has also been applied in managing enuresis (bedwetting) in children and certain anxiety-related conditions, maintaining relevance despite the development of newer antidepressants with improved safety profiles.
