Difference Between Duloxetine and Fluoxetine

The key difference between duloxetine and fluoxetine is that duloxetine is a sulfur-containing anti-depressant whereas fluoxetine is a fluorine-containing anti-depressant.

Anti-depressants are drugs used in medicine to treat major depressive disorders, some anxiety disorders, chronic pain conditions, and some other addictions. However, there can be some side effects of these drugs, including dry mouth, weight gain, and dizziness.

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Duloxetine
3. What is Fluoxetine
4. Side by Side Comparison – Duloxetine vs Fluoxetine in Tabular Form
5. Summary

What is Duloxetine?

Duloxetine is a medication useful in treating major depressive disorder, general anxiety disorder, fibromyalgia, and neuropathic pain. This is a sulfur-containing drug useful in medicine. Duloxetine medication is taken by mouth. The brand name for this medication is Cymbalta. The chemical formula for this substance is C₁₈H₁₉NOS. It has a molar mass of 297.42 g/mol.

Difference Between Duloxetine and Fluoxetine

Figure 01: Chemical Structure of Duloxetine

However, there are some side effects of using this drug, which includes dry mouth, nausea, feeling tired, dizziness, agitation, sexual problems, and increased sweating. There can be some severe side effects as well, for example, increased risk of suicide, serotonin syndrome, mania, and liver problems. If the continuous uptake of this medicine is suddenly stopped, it can cause anti-depressant withdrawal syndrome as well.

The manufacturers of duloxetine have listed some warnings as well. Some of the points include hypersensitivity, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma, and duloxetine and thioridazine shouldn’t be co-administrated.

When considering the mechanism of action of duloxetine, it can inhibit the uptake of serotonin and norepinephrine in the central nervous system. It can also increase dopamine in the prefrontal cortex via the inhibition of norepinephrine reuptake pumps.

What is Fluoxetine?

Fluoxetine is an anti-depressant drug useful in treating major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bulimia nervosa, panic disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. The brand name for this drug is Prozac. It is taken by mouth. The chemical formula for this substance is C₁₇H₁₈F₃NO. It has a molar mass of 309.33 g/mol.

However, there are some common side effects concerning this drug, which includes indigestion, trouble sleeping, sexual dysfunction, loss of appetite, dry mouth, and rash. There can be some severe side effects as well, which include serotonin syndrome, mania, seizures, increased risk of suicidal behaviour in young people, increased risk of bleeding, etc.

Key Difference - Duloxetine vs Fluoxetine

Figure 02: The Chemical Structure of Fluoxetine

When considering the action of this drug in our body, it is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Moreover, it does not appreciably inhibit norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake at therapeutic doses. However, this medication can delay the reuptake of serotonin, which results in serotonin persisting longer when released.

What is the Difference Between Duloxetine and Fluoxetine?

Duloxetine and fluoxetine are anti-depressant drugs. The key difference between duloxetine and fluoxetine is that duloxetine is a sulfur-containing anti-depressant, whereas fluoxetine is a fluorine-containing anti-depressant. Besides, duloxetine can inhibit the uptake of serotonin and norepinephrine in the central nervous system whereas fluoxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.

Moreover, duloxetine is useful in treating major depressive disorder, general anxiety disorder, fibromyalgia, and neuropathic pain while fluoxetine is useful in treating major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bulimia nervosa, panic disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. However, duloxetine can cause side effects like dry mouth, nausea, feeling tired, dizziness, agitation, sexual problems, and increased sweating while fluoxetine can cause side effects like indigestion, trouble sleeping, sexual dysfunction, loss of appetite, dry mouth, and rash.

Below is a list of differences between duloxetine and fluoxetine in tabular form.

Summary – Duloxetine vs Fluoxetine

Duloxetine and fluoxetine are anti-depressant drugs. The key difference between duloxetine and fluoxetine is that duloxetine is a sulfur-containing anti-depressant whereas fluoxetine is a fluorine-containing anti-depressant.