Desipramine
Desipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant used to treat depression, available as oral tablets including generic desipramine hydrochloride and Norpramin.
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand
The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 11 clinical label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →
Desipramine (Norpramin) is an older tricyclic antidepressant for depression that keeps more norepinephrine, and to a lesser degree serotonin, available in the brain; on the market since about 1964 and available as a generic, it is now usually tried after newer antidepressants. It tends to be less sedating than most tricyclics, but dry mouth, constipation and dizziness on standing are common. Its boxed warning covers suicidal thoughts and behavior in children, teens and young adults up to age 24, so watch mood and behavior closely early on. It also affects heart rhythm and is more dangerous in overdose than other tricyclics, so heart conditions need real care.
Clinical pearls
- Never combine it with an MAOI antidepressant; allow at least 14 days between them, and linezolid or IV methylene blue also clash.
- Fluoxetine, paroxetine and sertraline can push desipramine levels up, and fluoxetine lingers for at least five weeks after stopping.
- Smoking and barbiturates can lower desipramine levels, so tell your prescriber if you start or quit smoking.
- Do not stop desipramine suddenly after long-term use; your prescriber will bring the dose down gradually instead.
⚠️ FDA Boxed Warning — the FDA’s strongest safety alert ▾
Antidepressants, including desipramine, can increase suicidal thoughts and behavior in children, teens and young adults (up to age 24). Short-term studies did not show this increase in adults over 24, and risk was lower in adults 65 and older.
Depression itself raises suicide risk, so anyone starting an antidepressant should be watched closely, whatever their age. Watch for worsening depression, suicidal thoughts, or unusual changes in behavior. Families and caregivers should stay alert and keep in touch with the prescriber. Desipramine tablets are not approved for children.
Patient information guide A plain-language walkthrough of Desipramine, written from its FDA label.
What Desipramine is used for
▾
Desipramine is used for one condition across the supported tablet products.
- Depression: generic Desipramine Hydrochloride tablets (film coated and plain), Desipramine HCL tablets, and Norpramin sugar-coated tablets, all taken by mouth.
How Desipramine works
▾
Desipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant. Depression may be linked to low levels of brain chemicals such as norepinephrine and serotonin. Tricyclics are thought to restore normal levels by blocking their re-uptake, which keeps more of them active between nerve cells.
Desipramine appears to work mostly on norepinephrine. It is not an MAOI and is not mainly a stimulant.
Desipramine dosage
▾
Desipramine tablets are taken by mouth. Your prescriber starts you low and adjusts based on response and tolerance. Doses can be split through the day or taken once daily, and once daily is common for maintenance.
- Lower doses are advised for older adults, adolescents, and people treated as outpatients.
- It is not recommended for children.
- Higher doses should generally be started in a hospital setting with ECG monitoring.
- After you feel better, you may stay on the lowest dose that keeps you well.
Follow your prescriber and your prescription label.
Dosing details from the FDA-approved label
From the Desipramine prescribing information (“Dosage and Administration”). Doses are set by your prescriber for your product, condition, kidney function and age — never change a dose on your own.
- Usual adult dose
- 100 mg to 200 mg per day
- Initiate at a lower level and increase according to tolerance and clinical response
- Initial therapy may be given in divided doses or a single daily dose
- Maintenance therapy may be given once daily
- Maximum: In more severely ill patients, may be increased gradually to 300 mg/day if necessary; dosages above 300 mg/day are not recommended
- Treatment of patients requiring as much as 300 mg should generally be initiated in hospitals
- Adolescent and geriatric patients
- 25 mg to 100 mg daily
- Initiate at a lower level and increase according to tolerance and clinical response to a usual maximum of 100 mg daily
- Initial therapy may be given in divided doses or a single daily dose
- Maintenance therapy may be given once daily
- Maximum: In more severely ill patients may be increased to 150 mg/day; doses above 150 mg/day are not recommended in these age groups
- Lower dosages are recommended for elderly patients and adolescents
Read the label’s full dosing text
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Not recommended for use in children (see WARNINGS). Lower dosages are recommended for elderly patients and adolescents. Lower dosages are also recommended for outpatients compared to hospitalized patients, who are closely supervised. Dosage should be initiated at a low level and increased according to clinical response and any evidence of intolerance. Following remission, maintenance medication may be required for a period of time and should be at the lowest dose that will maintain remission. Usual Adult Dose The usual adult dose is 100 mg to 200 mg per day. In more severely ill patients, dosage may be further increased gradually to 300 mg/day if necessary. Dosages above 300 mg/day are not recommended. Dosage should be initiated at a lower level and increased according to tolerance and clinical response. Treatment of patients requiring as much as 300 mg should generally be initiated in hospitals, where regular visits by the physician, skilled nursing care, and frequent electrocardiograms (ECGs) are available. The best available evidence of impending toxicity from very high doses of desipramine hydrochloride tablets are prolongation of the QRS or QT intervals on the ECG. Prolongation of the PR interval is also significant, but less closely correlated with plasma levels. Clinical symptoms of intolerance, especially drowsiness, dizziness, and postural hypotension, should also alert the physician to the need for reduction in dosage. Initial therapy may be administered in divided doses or a single daily dose. Maintenance therapy may be given on a once-daily schedule for patient convenience and compliance. Adolescent and Geriatric Dose The usual adolescent and geriatric dose is 25 mg to 100 mg daily. Dosage should be initiated at a lower level and increased according to tolerance and clinical response to a usual maximum of 100 mg daily. In more severely ill patients, dosage may be further increased to 150 mg/day. Doses above 150 mg/day are not recommended in these age groups. Initial therapy may be administered in divided doses or a single daily dose. Maintenance therapy may be given on a once-daily schedule for patient convenience and compliance.
Excerpted — the section continues on the label. Read the full Dosage and Administration section on DailyMed →
Desipramine side effects
▾
Common side effects come mostly from desipramine’s effects on the nervous system and on body functions like digestion and urination.
Common side effects
- Dry mouth
- Constipation
- Blurred vision
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness when standing up
- Nausea or upset stomach
- Weight gain or loss
- Drowsiness, dizziness and weakness
- Nausea, loss of appetite or stomach upset
- Headache and sweating
When to get medical help
- Call your doctor right away if you have new or worsening depression, suicidal thoughts, or unusual changes in behavior.
- Get help for chest pain, a pounding or irregular heartbeat, fainting, or signs of a heart attack or stroke.
- Report seizures, confusion, hallucinations, or severe agitation.
- Seek care for fever, sore throat, or unusual bruising or bleeding, which can signal blood cell problems.
- Report yellowing of the skin or eyes, which can signal liver problems.
- Get help for swelling of the face or tongue, hives, or a severe rash.
- Tell your doctor about eye pain or trouble urinating.
- Overdose can be life-threatening. Call poison control or emergency services right away.
Call your doctor for fast or irregular heartbeat, fainting, seizures, confusion, hallucinations, signs of liver problems, severe rash or swelling, or fever and sore throat. Stopping suddenly after long use can cause nausea, headache and malaise.
Desipramine warnings and precautions
▾
- Suicide risk: antidepressants can raise the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior in children, teens and young adults. Watch for mood or behavior changes, especially early in treatment.
- Heart effects: very high doses can cause ECG changes and dangerous rhythms. Dizziness, drowsiness and lightheadedness on standing may mean the dose is too high.
- Serotonin syndrome: combining with MAOIs and similar drugs can be life-threatening.
- Overdose risk: overdose with desipramine has led to a higher death rate than with other tricyclics.
- Sun sensitivity: avoid excessive sunlight.
Desipramine interactions
▾
Desipramine interacts with many medicines, mostly by changing its level in the body or adding to side effects.
- MAOIs, linezolid and IV methylene blue: serotonin syndrome risk, so these are not allowed together.
- SSRIs and other CYP2D6 blockers (such as quinidine, cimetidine, phenothiazines, flecainide, propafenone): can raise desipramine levels.
- Alcohol: effects may be stronger, and heavy use can change drug levels.
- Benzodiazepines and sedatives: sleepiness adds up.
- Anticholinergic and sympathomimetic drugs: need close monitoring.
- Barbiturates and tobacco smoke: can lower desipramine levels.
Interactions listed in the FDA-approved label
From the Desipramine prescribing information (“Drug Interactions”): what the manufacturer studied or reported to the FDA.
- Drugs that inhibit cytochrome P450 2D6 (quinidine, cimetidine, many other antidepressants, phenothiazines, Type IC antiarrhythmics propafenone and flecainide): They can make normal metabolizers resemble poor metabolizers, and a patient stable on a given TCA dose may become abruptly toxic. May require lower doses than usually prescribed for either the tricyclic antidepressant or the other drug; an increased TCA dose may be required when the other drug is withdrawn; it is desirable to monitor TCA plasma levels.
- SSRIs (e.g., fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine): All the SSRIs inhibit P450 2D6, though they may vary in the extent of inhibition. Caution is indicated in co-administration of TCAs with any SSRI and in switching from one class to the other; sufficient time must elapse before starting TCA treatment in a patient withdrawn from fluoxetine (at least 5 weeks may be necessary).
- Anticholinergic or sympathomimetic drugs: The label calls for close supervision when desipramine is given concomitantly with these drugs. Close supervision and careful adjustment of dosage are required.
- Alcoholic beverages: Response to alcoholic beverages may be exaggerated while taking this drug. Patients should be warned of this.
- Benzodiazepines (e.g., chlordiazepoxide or diazepam) and other tranquilizers or sedative/hypnotics: The sedative effects of desipramine and benzodiazepines are additive. Careful consideration should be given to the pharmacology of the agents employed when combining with other psychotropic agents.
- Major tranquilizers: Both the sedative and anticholinergic effects of the major tranquilizers are additive to those of desipramine.
- Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) and serotonergic drugs: Concomitant use may potentially cause life threatening adverse events. See CONTRAINDICATIONS, WARNINGS, and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION.
Read the label’s full interactions text
Drug Interactions Drugs Metabolized by P450 2D6. The biochemical activity of the drug metabolizing isozyme cytochrome P450 2D6 (debrisoquin hydroxylase) is reduced in a subset of the Caucasian population (about 7% to 10% of Caucasians are so called “poor metabolizers”); reliable estimates of the prevalence of reduced P450 2D6 isozyme activity among Asian, African and other populations are not yet available. Poor metabolizers have higher than expected plasma concentrations of tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) when given usual doses. Depending on the fraction of drug metabolized by P450 2D6, the increase in plasma concentration may be small, or quite large (8 fold increase in plasma AUC of the TCA). In addition, certain drugs inhibit the activity of this isozyme and make normal metabolizers resemble poor metabolizers. An individual who is stable on a given dose of TCA may become abruptly toxic when given one of these inhibiting drugs as concomitant therapy. The drugs that inhibit cytochrome P450 2D6 include some that are not metabolized by the enzyme (quinidine; cimetidine) and many that are substrates for P450 2D6 (many other antidepressants, phenothiazines, and the Type IC antiarrhythmics propafenone and flecainide). While all the SSRIs, e.g., fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, inhibit P450 2D6, they may vary in the extent of inhibition. The extent to which SSRI TCA interactions may pose clinical problems will depend on the degree of inhibition and the pharmacokinetics of the SSRI involved. Nevertheless, caution is indicated in the co-administration of TCAs with any of the SSRIs and also in switching from one class to the other. Of particular importance, sufficient time must elapse before initiating TCA treatment in a patient being withdrawn from fluoxetine, given the long half-life of the parent and active metabolite (at least 5 weeks may be necessary).
Excerpted — the section continues on the label. Read the full Drug Interactions section on DailyMed →
Not a complete list. The label covers the interactions the manufacturer studied or reported, and our own interaction database does not cover every medicine either. Bring your full medication list, including vitamins and herbal products, to your pharmacist.
Before taking Desipramine
▾
- Do not use during the acute recovery period after a heart attack.
- Do not use if you have had an allergic reaction to it. Cross-sensitivity with related drugs is possible.
- Do not use with, or within 14 days of, an MAOI for psychiatric conditions.
- Not recommended for children.
- Older adults and adolescents generally need lower doses, and older adults may be more prone to confusion.
- Tell your prescriber about all your medicines.
Desipramine overdose
▾
Overdose can be deadly and signs appear quickly. These include irregular heartbeat, very low blood pressure, seizures, confusion, and coma. There is no specific antidote, so get emergency care and call poison control right away. Hospital monitoring is needed.
What Desipramine does in the body
▾
Desipramine blocks the re-uptake of norepinephrine, and to a lesser degree serotonin, in the central nervous system. Some studies found a faster onset than imipramine. Earliest effects may appear in 2 to 5 days, with full benefit usually taking 2 to 3 weeks.
How your body processes Desipramine
▾
Desipramine is absorbed quickly from the gut and broken down in the liver. About 70% is passed in urine. How fast people process it varies widely, mostly for genetic reasons, so blood levels can differ up to 36-fold on the same dose. Other drugs, alcohol and smoking can raise or lower its levels.
How to store Desipramine
▾
Store at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted to 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F) . Dispense in a tight container. Protect from excessive heat.
Written from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →
Supplements & herbs that interact with Desipramine
253 supplements and herbal products have documented interactions with Desipramine in the licensed clinical database we use. Most are manageable — but your pharmacist should know about everything you take, including vitamins and herbals.
- Major · 16
- Moderate · 198
- Minor · 39
Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — see our data sources & update cadence. Not medical advice: an interaction being documented does not mean it will happen to you; do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.
Nutrient depletion considerations
Desipramine has been associated with lower levels of 3 nutrients in the clinical literature. This does not mean a deficiency will occur — it means these may be worth discussing with your pharmacist or healthcare provider, especially with long-term use.
- Higher significance · 1
- Moderate · 1
- Unrated · 1
Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — not medical advice. Do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.
Desipramine: pharmacist answers to common questions
Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Desipramine — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.
What is desipramine for?
▾
How long until it starts working?
▾
What side effects should I expect?
▾
What should I watch for with my mood?
▾
Can I drink alcohol or take other medicines with it?
▾
Can I stop it suddenly?
▾
Is Desipramine available over the counter?
▾
When was Desipramine first available?
▾
Who makes Desipramine?
▾
Answers drafted from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →
More about Desipramine on HelloPharmacist
Desipramine forms and strengths (how it comes)
Desipramine is available in 1 form. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.
Tablet
How this form is used
- Desipramine HCL and Desipramine Hydrochloride tablets are used to treat depression.
- Norpramin tablets are used to treat depression.
- Desipramine Hydrochloride tablets are taken by mouth, in divided doses or once daily, as directed by your prescriber.
- Norpramin may be given once daily for maintenance therapy.
- Desipramine HCL tablets are not recommended for children, and lower doses are advised for adolescents and older adults.
Desipramine on the U.S. market: products, makers and brands
How Desipramine appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.
10 companies list 47 Desipramine product records with the FDA, mostly as tablet; the earliest marketing or approval year on record is 1964. Brand names on the directory include Norpramin; the rest are generics.
Also listed with the FDA, not a patient dose form: Powder (2) — bulk drug substance sold to compounders/manufacturers and multi-item kits. These aren’t counted in the dose-form total above.
Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.
How widely Desipramine is used (Medicaid data)
A general measure of how commonly Desipramine is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.
Think of this as a proxy for how widely Desipramine is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.
How commonly is Desipramine prescribed? Of the 1,601 medications we measure, Desipramine ranks #1,042 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 35% of them.
Utilization by Desipramine product
Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.
desipramine hydrochloride 25 MG Oral Tablet Most dispensed
Summed across the 5 of 26 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1099300
desipramine hydrochloride 10 MG Oral Tablet
Summed across the 5 of 24 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1099288
desipramine hydrochloride 50 MG Oral Tablet
Summed across the 5 of 27 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1099304
desipramine hydrochloride 100 MG Oral Tablet
Summed across the 3 of 24 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1099292
desipramine hydrochloride 150 MG Oral Tablet
Summed across the 2 of 17 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1099296
desipramine hydrochloride 75 MG Oral Tablet
Summed across the 1 of 17 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1099316
Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.
Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Desipramine, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 21 of 135 listed Desipramine NDCs with Medicaid activity.
Compare Desipramine products
A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Desipramine — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)
| Strength | Route | Manufacturer / Labeler | Category ⓘ | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💊Tablet | ||||
| 10 mg | Oral | Actavis Pharma, Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 25 mg | Oral | Actavis Pharma, Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 50 mg | Oral | Actavis Pharma, Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 75 mg | Oral | Actavis Pharma, Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 100 mg | Oral | Actavis Pharma, Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 150 mg | Oral | Actavis Pharma, Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg | Oral | Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 25 mg | Oral | Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 50 mg | Oral | Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 75 mg | Oral | Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 100 mg | Oral | Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 150 mg | Oral | Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg | Oral | Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 25 mg | Oral | Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 50 mg | Oral | Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 75 mg | Oral | Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 100 mg | Oral | Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 150 mg | Oral | Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg | Oral | Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 25 mg | Oral | Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 50 mg | Oral | Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 75 mg | Oral | Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 100 mg | Oral | Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 150 mg | Oral | Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg | Oral | Chartwell RX, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 25 mg | Oral | Chartwell RX, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 50 mg | Oral | Chartwell RX, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 75 mg | Oral | Chartwell RX, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 100 mg | Oral | Chartwell RX, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 150 mg | Oral | Chartwell RX, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg | Oral | Direct_Rx | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg | Oral | Heritage Pharmaceuticals Inc. d/b/a Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 25 mg | Oral | Heritage Pharmaceuticals Inc. d/b/a Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 75 mg | Oral | Heritage Pharmaceuticals Inc. d/b/a Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg | Oral | Ingenus Pharmaceuticals, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 25 mg | Oral | Ingenus Pharmaceuticals, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 50 mg | Oral | Ingenus Pharmaceuticals, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 75 mg | Oral | Ingenus Pharmaceuticals, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 100 mg | Oral | Ingenus Pharmaceuticals, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 150 mg | Oral | Ingenus Pharmaceuticals, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg | Oral | Remedyrepack Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg | Oral | Validus Pharmaceuticals LLC | NDA | View NDC → |
| 25 mg | Oral | Validus Pharmaceuticals LLC | NDA | View NDC → |
| 50 mg | Oral | Validus Pharmaceuticals LLC | NDA | View NDC → |
| 75 mg | Oral | Validus Pharmaceuticals LLC | NDA | View NDC → |
| 100 mg | Oral | Validus Pharmaceuticals LLC | NDA | View NDC → |
| 150 mg | Oral | Validus Pharmaceuticals LLC | NDA | View NDC → |
Showing 47 of 47 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 47 Desipramine NDCs →
Desipramine side effects reported to the FDA (FAERS)
After a medicine reaches the market, patients, doctors and drugmakers can send the FDA reports of problems they think may be linked to it. Here’s what’s been reported for Desipramine — a signal of what to watch for, not proof the drug caused it.
The effects most often named in FDA reports that mention Desipramine are fatigue, drug hypersensitivity, nausea; about 66% of the reports were classed as serious. These are voluntary reports, so they show what people report, not how often it happens.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). These are voluntary reports — they don’t prove the drug caused the effect, and counts reflect how often something was reported, not how often it actually happens. Reports also often name the very problem the medicine is taken for — a common reason to file one is that the drug didn’t help — so for a pain reliever you may see “pain” high on the list; that points to why the report was filed, not to the drug causing the symptom. This counts every report that lists Desipramine in any role, so the total runs higher than the FDA’s official dashboard, which counts only cases where the drug is the suspect. For the authoritative figures, see the FDA FAERS Public Dashboard. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
Desipramine FDA approval history
How Desipramine went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.
Desipramine was first approved by the FDA in 1964 (Brand: NORPRAMIN · Validus Pharms); the first generic version was approved in 1987. It remains available in U.S. pharmacies today.
Source: Drugs@FDA.
Desipramine recall history
A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.
The FDA’s enforcement reports list one Desipramine recall since July 2021, covering 6 product listings. It is still ongoing. A recall names specific lots from one company, so check the lot number on your own bottle rather than assuming every product is affected; your pharmacist can check whether your supply came from an affected lot.
- Desipramine Hydrochloride Tablets, USP, 150 mg, 50 count bottle (NDC 23155-583-25), Rx only, Manufactured by: USV Private Limited, Daman, India, Manufactured for: Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc., East Brun… Lots: Lot#: 18035739, Exp. Date: 11/30/2025 FDA record D-0112-2026 →
- Desipramine Hydrochloride Tablets, USP, 100 mg, 100 count bottle (NDC 23155-582-01), Rx only, Manufactured by: USV Private Limited, Daman, India, Manufactured for: Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc., East Bru… Lots: Lot#: 18035574, Exp. Date 10/31/2025 Lot#: 18036758, Exp. Date 08/31/2026 FDA record D-0111-2026 →
- Desipramine Hydrochloride Tablets, USP, 75 mg, 100 count bottle (NDC 23155-581-01), Rx only, Manufactured by: USV Private Limited, Daman, India, Manufactured for: Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc., East Brun… Lots: Lot#: 18036662, Exp. Date: 07/31/2026 Lot#: 18037649, Exp. Date: 03/31/2027 FDA record D-0110-2026 →
- Desipramine Hydrochloride Tablets, USP, 50 mg, 100 count bottle (NDC 23155-580-01), Rx only, Manufactured by: USV Private Limited, Daman, India, Manufactured for: Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc., East Brun… Lots: Lot#:18036713, Exp Date: 08/31/2026 FDA record D-0109-2026 →
- Desipramine Hydrochloride Tablets, USP, 25 mg, 100 count bottle (NDC 23155-579-01), Rx only, Manufactured by: USV Private Limited, Daman, India, Manufactured for: Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc., East Brun… Lots: Lot#: 18035876, Exp Date: 12/31/2025 Lot#: 18036909, Exp Date: 09/30/2026 FDA record D-0108-2026 →
- Desipramine Hydrochloride Tablets, USP, 10 mg, 100 - count bottle (NDC 23155-578-01), Rx only, Manufactured by: USV Private Limited, Daman, India, Manufactured for: Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc., East Br… Lots: Lot#: 18036908, Exp. Date: 09/30/2026 FDA record D-0107-2026 →
Source: FDA enforcement (recall) reports, via openFDA; our copy was last updated Sep 24, 2026.
RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength
This page starts with one ingredient concept (IN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). Combination products remain separate concepts with their own pages.
RxCUI 3247 1 dose form · 6 strengths
-
Dose form (SCDF) Oral Tablet RxCUI 371709In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) hydrochloride 10 MGRxCUI 1099288hydrochloride 100 MGRxCUI 1099292hydrochloride 150 MGRxCUI 1099296hydrochloride 25 MGRxCUI 1099300hydrochloride 50 MGRxCUI 1099304hydrochloride 75 MGRxCUI 1099316
Look up RxCUI 3247 in the RxCUI Atlas →
RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.
Desipramine supply and shortage status
Whether Desipramine is in short supply in the U.S. right now, plus any shortage history the FDA has on record. A shortage usually reflects a manufacturing or demand issue — not a safety problem with the drug.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Drug Shortages database.
💵 What Desipramine costs pharmacies (NADAC benchmark)
The national average invoice price pharmacies pay for the drug itself, from CMS's NADAC survey (data as of Sep 30, 2026). This is a supply-cost benchmark — not a retail price and not what you'd pay at the counter.
| Form | Strength | Pharmacy acquisition benchmark | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tablet, Film Coated · Oral | 150 mg | $0.832 per tablet | NDC details & price history |
| Tablet, Film Coated · Oral | 50 mg | $0.218 per tablet | NDC details & price history |
| Tablet, Film Coated · Oral | 25 mg | $0.127 per tablet | NDC details & price history |
| Tablet, Film Coated · Oral | 10 mg | $0.136 per tablet | NDC details & price history |
| Tablet, Film Coated · Oral | 75 mg | $0.276 per tablet | NDC details & price history |
| Tablet, Film Coated · Oral | 100 mg | $0.446 per tablet | NDC details & price history |
| Tablet · Oral | 10 mg | $0.136 per tablet | NDC details & price history |
| Tablet · Oral | 75 mg | $0.276 per tablet | NDC details & price history |
| Tablet · Oral | 25 mg | $0.127 per tablet | NDC details & price history |
| Tablet · Oral | 50 mg | $0.218 per tablet | NDC details & price history |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC), a survey of retail pharmacy invoice prices. Benchmarks shown are the range across package sizes of a representative product for each form and strength — other manufacturers' products may differ.
Desipramine brand names
Desipramine is sold under one brand name in the FDA directory — Norpramin. A brand and its generic contain the same active ingredient; the brand name belongs to one company's product.
Who makes Desipramine: manufacturers and labelers
10 companies list Desipramine products with the FDA. By number of product records, the largest are Actavis Pharma, Inc., Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc., Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited. Labelers include manufacturers and repackagers; the product in your bottle depends on which one your pharmacy stocks.
Desipramine drug class (RxNorm)
Desipramine belongs to the Tricyclic Antidepressant class.
Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.
Sources for this Desipramine page
Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.
How this page is built
HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records and does not author the underlying clinical facts. The plain-language sections are written with AI from the FDA-approved label text and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Amneal Pharmaceuticals NY LLC is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates. This is general education, not medical advice: always talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own medicines. How we build and review drug pages →