What is the Difference Between Prozac and Zoloft

The key difference between Prozac and Zoloft is that Prozac contains Fluoxetine as the active ingredient and stays in the body for 26-36 hours with a longer half-life, while Zoloft contains sertraline as the active ingredient and stays in the body for 24-26 hours.

Prozac and Zoloft are brand medications of the generic drugs of Fluoxetine and sertraline, respectively. They are selectively serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that are primarily prescribed to improve the symptoms of psychiatric disorders. Among SSRIs, Fluoxetine was the first approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Both Prozac and Zoloft are generally well-tolerated, but they can cause some side effects, such as nausea, diarrhea, dry mouth, headache, anxiety, insomnia, and sexual dysfunction. The preference between Prozac and Zoloft should be determined by assessing the individual conditions by a professional healthcare provider.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Prozac 
3. What is Zoloft
4. Similarities – Prozac and Zoloft
5. Prozac vs. Zoloft in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Prozac vs. Zoloft

What is Prozac?

Prozac is an SSRI with the generic name fluoxetine. Prozac is primarily prescribed to treat major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and bipolar disorder. The drugs that belong to Fluoxetine are second-generation antidepressants with improved SSRI effects. Prozac selectively blocks the serotonin reuptake transporters in the presynaptic neuron, ultimately sustaining the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine in the brain.

After oral administration, Prozac is absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract and found to undergo first-pass metabolism in the liver. Prozac is highly lipophilic and remains bound with the plasma proteins, allowing the drug and its metabolites to be transported into the brain. Urine primarily eliminates Prozac with an elimination half-life of 1-3 days. Drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, and tremor are the most expected overdose and adverse effect symptoms.

What is Zoloft?

Zoloft, a brand mediation of sertraline, is another SSRI used to treat psychiatric conditions, including major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder. Zoloft selectively inhibits serotonin reuptake at the presynaptic neuronal membrane, thereby increasing serotonergic activity in the synapsis. These changes are responsible for the improvement of depressive symptoms in the patients.

Once-daily oral administration of Zoloft results in peak plasma concentration after 4-9 hours. The plasma concentration is higher in the presence of food. After absorption, the drug is widely distributed with an apparent volume of distribution with 20L/kg. Furthermore, most of Zoloft in the plasma remains bound with plasma proteins. Zoloft is extensively metabolized in the liver to N-desmethylsertraline, which is pharmacologically less potent than Zoloft. After the metabolism, the drug and its metabolites are mainly excreted by hepatic biliary excretion. Zoloft is generally well-tolerated but can cause side effects, including nausea, diarrhea, dry mouth, headache, anxiety, and sexual dysfunction.

What are the Similarities Between Prozac and Zoloft?

• Prozac and Zoloft are FDA-approved to treat depression and other psychiatric disorders.
• They are prescription-type drugs.
• They have a comparatively longer half-life.
• Both have similar side effects, such as nausea, diarrhea, dry mouth, headache, anxiety, insomnia, and sexual dysfunction.
• They are comparatively cheaper, making them more affordable.
• Both drugs are associated with weight gain.

What is the Difference Between Prozac and Zoloft?

Prozac and Zoloft are two different SSRIs primarily prescribed to treat psychiatric disorders, including depression. Prozac is a brand medication of the generic drug fluoxetine, while Zoloft is a brand medication of the generic drug sertraline. Thus, this is the key difference between Prozac and Zoloft. In addition, several other differences can be observed between these two drugs. Prozac has a half-life of 26-36 hours, while Zoloft has a half-life of 24-26 hours, suggesting that Prozac stays in the body longer than Zoloft. Furthermore, Prozac is associated with side effects such as headaches, nervousness, and insomnia, while Zoloft is more likely to cause nausea, diarrhea, and dry mouth. In general, Prozac is less expensive than Zoloft.

Below is a summary of the difference between Prozac and Zoloft in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Prozac vs. Zoloft

Prozac and Zoloft are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that increase serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in mood, anxiety, and other functions. The key difference between Prozac and Zoloft is that Prozac contains Fluoxetine as the active ingredient and stays in the body for 26-36 hours with a longer half-life, while Zoloft contains sertraline as the active ingredient and stays in the body for 24-26 hours. Prozac is associated with side effects such as headaches, nervousness, and insomnia, while Zoloft is associated with nausea, diarrhea, and dry mouth. Prozac may also be associated with more weight gain than Zoloft. Ultimately, the best medication will depend on the individual needs and preferences.

Reference:

1. Wong, David T., et al. “The Discovery of Fluoxetine Hydrochloride (Prozac).” Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, vol. 4, no. 9, 2005, pp. 764–774.
2. Harel, Zeev, et al. “Effects of Long Term Treatment with Sertraline (Zoloft®) Simulating Hypothyroidism in an Adolescent.” Journal of Adolescent Health, vol. 16, no. 3, 1995, pp. 232–234.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Fluoxetine2DACS” By User:Fuse809 (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “ZOLOFT (sertraline HCI) Crop” By Myling (talk) – Cropped from File:ZOLOFT_(sertraline_HCI).JPG (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia