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Nortriptyline

Nortriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant used to relieve symptoms of depression, available as capsules and as an oral solution.

Brand names AventylPamelor
Drug class Tricyclic Antidepressant
Rx Forms 2
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Reviewed by Last reviewed Jul 10, 2026 Content updated Oct 2, 2026
🧬 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 63 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 →

✓No current FDA shortage listed · checked Oct 5, 2026
Nortriptyline at a glance The quick version — the full detail is in the Patient Information Guide below.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
The Pharmacist’s Take By · Clinical pharmacist · Written

Nortriptyline is an older tricyclic antidepressant used to relieve symptoms of depression, on the U.S. market since about 1964 and available as a generic. It is thought to work by changing how the brain moves, releases and stores chemical messengers called catecholamines, and today it is usually tried after newer antidepressants. It is one of the better tolerated tricyclics, though dry mouth, constipation, drowsiness and blurred vision are common. The thing to watch is its boxed warning on suicidal thoughts and behavior in children, teens and young adults, and at any age new or worse depression or unusual behavior changes should be reported right away, especially early in treatment.

Clinical pearls

  • Never pair it with an MAOI or within 14 days of one; never start it on linezolid or IV methylene blue.
  • Fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, cimetidine and heart rhythm drugs like quinidine and flecainide can push nortriptyline levels up.
  • An overdose can be life-threatening to the heart, so keep it locked away if anyone at home is at risk.
  • Doses start low and rise slowly, and after long-term use it should not be stopped suddenly.
⚠️ FDA Boxed Warning — the FDA’s strongest safety alert ▾

Antidepressants, including nortriptyline, can increase suicidal thoughts and behavior in children, teens and young adults. In short-term studies, this increase was not seen in adults over 24, and risk was lower in adults 65 and older.

Anyone starting an antidepressant should be watched closely for worsening depression, suicidal thinking or unusual behavior changes. Families and caregivers should stay in close contact with the prescriber. Nortriptyline is not approved for use in children.

Read the full warning on DailyMed →
How you get itPrescription only
Comes asCapsule, Oral solution
Earliest FDA record1964
Companies listing it with the FDA25
FDA label last updatedDec 4, 2024
FDA’s strongest warning (boxed)Yes, read the warning

Patient information guide A plain-language walkthrough of Nortriptyline, written from its FDA label.

What Nortriptyline is used for

▾

Nortriptyline is used for depression.

  • Nortriptyline hydrochloride capsules (including Pamelor): relief of symptoms of depression.
  • Nortriptyline hydrochloride oral solution: relief of symptoms of depression.
  • Endogenous depressions are more likely to improve than other depressive states.

How Nortriptyline works

▾

Nortriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant. Exactly how these drugs improve mood is not known. It is not an MAOI. Studies suggest it affects how the body transports, releases and stores catecholamines (brain chemical messengers).

Nortriptyline dosage

▾

Nortriptyline is taken by mouth as capsules or an oral solution. Your prescriber starts low and increases gradually based on your response. The daily amount may be divided through the day or taken once daily.

  • Older adults and adolescents usually get lower doses.
  • Your prescriber may check blood levels at higher doses.
  • After you feel better, you may need to keep taking it for a longer period at the lowest effective dose.
  • Not recommended for children.

Follow your prescriber and pharmacy label.

Dosing details from the FDA-approved label

From the Nortriptyline 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
    • 25 mg three or four times daily
    • Dosage should begin at a low level and be increased as required
    • As an alternate regimen, the total daily dosage may be given once a day
    • Maximum: Doses above 150 mg/day are not recommended
    • When doses above 100 mg daily are administered, plasma levels of nortriptyline should be monitored and maintained in the optimum range of 50 to 150 ng/mL
  • Elderly and Adolescent Patients
    • 30 to 50 mg/day, in divided doses, or the total daily dosage may be given once a day
    • Lower than usual dosages are recommended for elderly patients and adolescents
  • Children
    • Not recommended for children
Read the label’s full dosing text

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Nortriptyline hydrochloride oral solution is not recommended for children. Nortriptyline hydrochloride oral solution is administered orally in the form of an oral solution. Lower than usual dosages are recommended for elderly patients and adolescents. Lower dosages are also recommended for outpatients than for hospitalized patients who will be under close supervision. The physician should initiate dosage at a low level and increase it gradually, noting carefully the clinical response and any evidence of intolerance. Following remission, maintenance medication may be required for a longer period of time at the lowest dose that will maintain remission. If a patient develops minor side effects, the dosage should be reduced. The drug should be discontinued promptly if adverse effects of a serious nature or allergic manifestations occur. Usual Adult Dose - 25 mg 3 or 4 times daily; dosage should begin at a low level and be increased as required. As an alternate regimen, the total daily dosage may be given once a day. When doses above 100 mg daily are administered, plasma levels of nortriptyline should be monitored and maintained in the optimum range of 50 to 150 ng/mL. Doses above 150 mg per day are not recommended. Elderly and Adolescent Patients - 30 to 50 mg/day, in divided doses, or the total daily dosage may be given once a day. Switching a Patient To or From a Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI) Intended to Treat Psychiatric Disorders At least 14 days should elapse between discontinuation of an MAOI intended to treat psychiatric disorders and initiation of therapy with nortriptyline hydrochloride oral solution. Conversely, at least 14 days should be allowed after stopping nortriptyline hydrochloride oral solution before starting an MAOI intended to treat psychiatric disorders (See CONTRAINDICATIONS ) . Use of Nortriptyline Hydrochloride With Other MAOIs, Such as Linezolid or Methylene Blue Do not start nortriptyline hydrochloride oral solution in a patient who is being treated with linezolid or intravenous methylene blue because there is increased risk of serotonin syndrome. In a patient who requires more urgent treatment of a psychiatric condition, other interventions, including hospitalization, should be considered (See CONTRAINDICATIONS ).

Excerpted — the section continues on the label. Read the full Dosage and Administration section on DailyMed →

Nortriptyline side effects

▾

Most side effects come from the way tricyclic antidepressants affect the body.

Common side effects

  • Dry mouth
  • Blurred vision
  • Constipation
  • Difficulty urinating
  • Drowsiness, dizziness or fatigue
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Weight gain or loss
  • Headache
  • Drowsiness, dizziness, weakness or fatigue
  • Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea

When to get medical help

  • Call your doctor right away if you notice new or worse depression, suicidal thoughts, or unusual changes in behavior.
  • Get help for chest pain, a fast or irregular heartbeat, or signs of a stroke.
  • Seek care for confusion, hallucinations, or seizures.
  • Call your doctor for a rash, hives, or swelling of the face or tongue (possible allergic reaction).
  • Report yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice).
  • Seek care for severe eye pain, which can signal angle-closure glaucoma.
  • Tell your doctor about any signs of serious infection or unusual bruising, since blood cell problems can occur.

Contact your doctor promptly for serious reactions such as chest pain, irregular heartbeat, seizures, confusion, severe rash or swelling, or yellowing of the skin. Your doctor should reduce the dose for minor side effects and stop the drug promptly for serious or allergic reactions.

Nortriptyline warnings and precautions

▾
  • Suicidality: Antidepressants raise the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior in children, teens and young adults. Watch for worsening mood or unusual behavior, especially early on.
  • Serotonin syndrome: Dangerous with MAOIs, linezolid and IV methylene blue.
  • Heart effects: Arrhythmias, heart block and low or high blood pressure can occur.
  • Withdrawal: Stopping suddenly after long-term use may cause nausea, headache and malaise.
  • Sun sensitivity: Avoid excessive sunlight.
  • Eye: Angle-closure glaucoma has been reported.

Nortriptyline interactions

▾

Several medicines can change how nortriptyline works or raise its levels.

  • MAOIs, linezolid, IV methylene blue: risk of serotonin syndrome.
  • SSRIs (fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine): can raise nortriptyline levels.
  • Quinidine, cimetidine, phenothiazines, propafenone, flecainide: can raise levels.
  • Anticholinergic and sympathomimetic drugs: need close supervision.
  • Alcohol: effects may be exaggerated.
  • Reserpine: may cause a stimulating effect.
  • Chlorpropamide: low blood sugar was reported in one patient.

Interactions listed in the FDA-approved label

From the Nortriptyline prescribing information (“Drug Interactions”): what the manufacturer studied or reported to the FDA.

  • Reserpine: Administration of reserpine during therapy with a tricyclic antidepressant has been shown to produce a "stimulating" effect in some depressed patients.
  • Anticholinergic drugs and sympathomimetic drugs: Used together with nortriptyline hydrochloride, these require close supervision. Close supervision and careful adjustment of the dosage are required.
  • Cimetidine: Concurrent administration with tricyclic antidepressants can produce clinically significant increases in the plasma concentrations of the tricyclic antidepressant.
  • Alcohol: The response to alcohol may be exaggerated. The patient should be informed that the response to alcohol may be exaggerated.
  • Chlorpropamide: A case of significant hypoglycemia has been reported in a type II diabetic patient maintained on chlorpropamide (250 mg/day), after the addition of nortriptyline (125 mg/day).
  • Drugs that inhibit cytochrome P450 2D6 (quinidine, cimetidine, many other antidepressants, phenothiazines, propafenone, flecainide): These drugs inhibit P450 2D6 and make normal metabolizers resemble poor metabolizers, so a patient stable on a TCA dose may become abruptly toxic. May require lower doses than usually prescribed for either the TCA 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.
  • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), e.g., fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine: All 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 initiating TCA treatment in a patient being withdrawn from fluoxetine (at least 5 weeks may be necessary).
  • Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs): The label refers to its CONTRAINDICATIONS, WARNINGS, and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION sections. At least 14 days should elapse between stopping an MAOI intended to treat psychiatric disorders and starting nortriptyline, and vice versa.
  • Serotonergic drugs: The label refers to its CONTRAINDICATIONS, WARNINGS, and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION sections.
Read the label’s full interactions text

Drug Interactions Administration of reserpine during therapy with a tricyclic antidepressant has been shown to produce a "stimulating" effect in some depressed patients. Close supervision and careful adjustment of the dosage are required when nortriptyline hydrochloride is used with other anticholinergic drugs and sympathomimetic drugs. Concurrent administration of cimetidine and tricyclic antidepressants can produce clinically significant increases in the plasma concentrations of the tricyclic antidepressant. The patient should be informed that the response to alcohol may be exaggerated. A case of significant hypoglycemia has been reported in a type II diabetic patient maintained on chlorpropamide (250 mg/day), after the addition of nortriptyline (125 mg/day). 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 1C antiarrhythmics propafenone and flecainide).

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 Nortriptyline

▾
  • Do not use with or within 14 days of an MAOI.
  • Do not use right after a heart attack (acute recovery period).
  • Tell your doctor if you are allergic to tricyclic antidepressants.
  • Not recommended for children.
  • Adolescents and older adults need lower doses.
  • Older adults may be more prone to confusion.

Nortriptyline overdose

▾

Overdose can be fatal. It can cause serious heart rhythm problems, very low blood pressure, seizures, confusion, and coma. Symptoms develop quickly, so get emergency care right away and contact a poison control center.

What Nortriptyline does in the body

▾

The label says nortriptyline inhibits the activity of agents such as histamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) and acetylcholine. It increases the blood-pressure-raising effect of norepinephrine. Studies suggest it interferes with how catecholamines are transported, released and stored.

How to store Nortriptyline

▾

Store and Dispense Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) . Dispense in tight container (USP) with a child-resistant closure.

Written from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →

198

Supplements & herbs that interact with Nortriptyline

198 supplements and herbal products have documented interactions with Nortriptyline in the licensed clinical database we use. Most are manageable — but your pharmacist should know about everything you take, including vitamins and herbals.

Severity mix
  • Major · 4
  • Moderate · 150
  • Minor · 44
Every supplement checked against Nortriptyline — ranked by severity The full interaction hub: 4 major · 150 moderate · 44 minor · every one linked to its full report. Check Nortriptyline against your exact supplements

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.

3

Nutrient depletion considerations

Nortriptyline 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.

Evidence & significance mix
  • Higher significance · 1
  • Moderate · 1
  • Unrated · 1
See the full Nortriptyline nutrient depletion report

Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — not medical advice. Do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.

Nortriptyline: pharmacist answers to common questions

Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Nortriptyline — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.

What is nortriptyline for?

▾
It is used to relieve symptoms of depression. It comes as capsules (including the brand Pamelor) and as an oral solution. The label notes that endogenous depressions are more likely to improve than other depressive states.

How do I take it?

▾
You take it by mouth. Your prescriber will usually start you low and raise the dose slowly. It may be split through the day or taken once daily, so follow your label closely. Don't stop it suddenly after long-term use, since that can cause nausea, headache and malaise.

What side effects should I expect?

▾
Dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, trouble urinating, drowsiness and dizziness are among the common ones. Tell us if they bother you, since a dose change may help. Call your doctor right away for chest pain, a racing or irregular heartbeat, seizures, confusion, or swelling and rash.

Is there a mood-related warning I should know about?

▾
Yes. Antidepressants can increase suicidal thoughts in children, teens and young adults, especially early on. Watch for worsening mood or unusual behavior changes. If you notice any, contact your prescriber right away. Family members should know to watch too.

What shouldn't I mix with it?

▾
Never take it with an MAOI or within 14 days of one, and avoid it with linezolid or IV methylene blue. SSRIs and some other medicines can raise nortriptyline levels. Alcohol effects may also be stronger. Always tell us about everything you take.

Can children take it?

▾
No. Nortriptyline is not recommended for children and is not approved for pediatric patients. Adolescents and older adults generally get lower doses than other adults.

Is Nortriptyline available over the counter?

▾
No. Nortriptyline is a prescription medicine: every Nortriptyline product listed with the FDA is prescription only, so it is not sold over the counter. Your prescriber decides whether it is appropriate for you, and your pharmacist dispenses it.

When was Nortriptyline first available?

▾
The earliest FDA record we hold for Nortriptyline is from 1964: its first approval in Drugs@FDA or its earliest product listing in the NDC Directory, whichever is older. Many older medicines were in use before their first formal FDA approval, so this is the earliest date on record, not necessarily when Nortriptyline was first used.

Who makes Nortriptyline?

▾
25 companies currently list Nortriptyline products in the FDA's NDC Directory, including Bryant Ranch Prepack, Proficient Rx LP, Direct_rx. That count includes repackagers and distributors as well as manufacturers (companies that sell only the raw ingredient are not counted), so fewer companies actually make it; the label on your bottle names the one that supplied yours.

Answers drafted from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →

More about Nortriptyline on HelloPharmacist

Detailed data & references for Nortriptyline Forms & strengths, pricing, billing codes, manufacturers, safety reports and sourcing — the data behind the page. Most people can stop here. Each section below opens on a tap.

Nortriptyline forms and strengths (how it comes)

Nortriptyline is available in 2 forms. 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.

Capsule

By mouth
Brands Pamelor
How this form is used
What it may be used for
  • Pamelor capsules are used for the relief of symptoms of depression.
  • Nortriptyline hydrochloride capsules are used for the relief of symptoms of depression.
Important instructions
  • Pamelor is given by mouth as capsules and is not recommended for children.
  • Nortriptyline hydrochloride capsules are given by mouth; the total daily amount may be split or given once a day.
  • Pamelor: wait at least 14 days between stopping or starting an MAOI used for psychiatric conditions.
Available strengths 4 strengths
134 FDA-listed product records ⓘ

Oral solution

By mouth
How this form is used
What it may be used for
  • Nortriptyline hydrochloride oral solution is used for the relief of symptoms of depression.
Important instructions
  • Nortriptyline hydrochloride oral solution is taken by mouth as a liquid and is not recommended for children.
  • Nortriptyline hydrochloride oral solution: the daily amount may be split or given once a day, as directed by your prescriber.
  • Nortriptyline hydrochloride oral solution: wait at least 14 days between stopping or starting an MAOI used for psychiatric conditions.
Available strengths 1 strength
5 FDA-listed product records ⓘ

Nortriptyline on the U.S. market: products, makers and brands

How Nortriptyline 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.

25 companies list 85 Nortriptyline product records with the FDA, mostly as capsule, oral solution; the earliest marketing or approval year on record is 1964. Brand names on the directory include Aventyl, Pamelor; the rest are generics.

2
Dose forms ⓘ
25
Labelers (makers, repackagers, distributors)
3
Brand names
85
FDA-listed product records ⓘ
1964
Earliest FDA record ⓘ

FDA-listed product records by dose form (tablet variants merged) — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.

Also listed with the FDA, not a patient dose form: Powder (11) — bulk drug substance sold to compounders/manufacturers and multi-item kits. These aren’t counted in the dose-form total above.

Bryant Ranch Prepack13%
Proficient Rx LP11%
Direct_rx7%
Remedyrepack Inc.7%
A-S Medication Solutions5%
Asclemed USA, Inc.5%
Other makers53%

Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.

How widely Nortriptyline is used (Medicaid data)

A general measure of how commonly Nortriptyline 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 Nortriptyline 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.

455,288
Medicaid prescriptions filled (Q1–Q4 2025)
$6.7M gross Medicaid reimbursement (before mandatory rebates — net cost is lower)

How commonly is Nortriptyline prescribed? Of the 1,601 medications we measure, Nortriptyline ranks #271 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 83% of them.

Where Nortriptyline ranks among the drugs we measure · Q1–Q4 2025 · neighbors ±5

Utilization by Nortriptyline 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.

The 10 mg oral capsule is the most-dispensed Nortriptyline product — about 39% of these Medicaid prescriptions.

nortriptyline 10 MG Oral Capsule Most dispensed

176,750 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 39% of Nortriptyline prescriptions shown $2.3M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $13 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 7 of 96 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 198045

nortriptyline 25 MG Oral Capsule

152,691 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 34% of Nortriptyline prescriptions shown $2M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $13 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 7 of 154 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 317136

nortriptyline 50 MG Oral Capsule

90,878 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 20% of Nortriptyline prescriptions shown $1.4M gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $15 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 7 of 89 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 198046

nortriptyline 75 MG Oral Capsule

32,120 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) 7% of Nortriptyline prescriptions shown $698,626 gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $22 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 6 of 44 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 198047

nortriptyline 2 MG/ML Oral Solution

2,849 Medicaid prescriptions (Q1–Q4 2025) <1% of Nortriptyline prescriptions shown $297,692 gross reimbursement (before rebates) ≈ $104 per prescription (gross)

Summed across the 2 of 3 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 312036

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 Nortriptyline, 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 29 of 386 listed Nortriptyline NDCs with Medicaid activity.

Compare Nortriptyline products

A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Nortriptyline — 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.)

Showing 85 of 85 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 85 Nortriptyline NDCs →

Nortriptyline 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 no Nortriptyline recalls since July 2021.

✅No Nortriptyline recalls on record since July 2021

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.

Ingredient (IN) Nortriptyline RxCUI 7531 3 dose forms · 7 strengths
  1. Dose form (SCDF) Oral Capsule RxCUI 373124 In current FDA listings
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) 10 MG RxCUI 198045 25 MG RxCUI 317136 50 MG RxCUI 198046 75 MG RxCUI 198047
  2. Dose form (SCDF) Oral Solution RxCUI 373125 In current FDA listings
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) 2 MG/ML RxCUI 312036
  3. Dose form (SCDF) Oral Tablet RxCUI 373126 No current FDA listing
    Clinical drug / strength (SCD) 10 MG RxCUI 199283 25 MG RxCUI 199406

Look up RxCUI 7531 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.

💵 What Nortriptyline 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.

FormStrengthPharmacy acquisition benchmark
Capsule · Oral 25 mg $0.156 per capsule NDC details & price history
Capsule · Oral 10 mg $0.113 per capsule NDC details & price history
Capsule · Oral 50 mg $0.207 per capsule NDC details & price history
Capsule · Oral 75 mg $0.261–$0.272 per capsule NDC details & price history
Solution · Oral 10 mg/5 mL $0.262 per mL NDC details & price history
Why show this? Your out-of-pocket cost depends on insurance, pharmacy markup, and discounts — but the acquisition benchmark tells you whether the medication itself is inexpensive or costly, which strengths cost more per dose, and whether a cash-price quote is in a reasonable range. Each row links to the NDC-level record with its full 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.

Nortriptyline brand names

Nortriptyline is sold under 2 brand names in the FDA directory — Aventyl, Pamelor. A brand and its generic contain the same active ingredient; the brand name belongs to one company's product.

Aventyl Pamelor

Who makes Nortriptyline: manufacturers and labelers

25 companies list Nortriptyline products with the FDA. By number of product records, the largest are Bryant Ranch Prepack, Proficient Rx LP, Direct_rx. Labelers include manufacturers and repackagers; the product in your bottle depends on which one your pharmacy stocks.

Bryant Ranch Prepack 11 Proficient Rx LP 9 Direct_rx 6 Remedyrepack Inc. 6 A-S Medication Solutions 4 Asclemed USA, Inc. 4 Coupler LLC 4 Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Inc. 4 SpecGx LLC 4 Taro Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. 4 Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. 4 Zydus Lifesciences Limited 4 Zydus Pharmaceuticals (USA) Inc. 4 American Health Packaging 2 Northwind Health Company, LLC 2 PD-Rx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2 Preferred Pharmaceuticals Inc. 2 St. Mary's Medical Park Pharmacy 2 Advagen Pharma Ltd 1 Advanced Rx Pharmacy of Tennessee, LLC 1 Advanced Rx of Tennessee, LLC 1 Aphena Pharma Solutions - Tennessee, LLC 1 Mayne Pharma Inc. 1 NuCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 1

…and 1 more on the FDA NDC directory.

Nortriptyline drug class (RxNorm)

Nortriptyline belongs to the Tricyclic Antidepressant class.

Pharmacologic class Tricyclic Antidepressant
Drug family (ATC) Non-selective monoamine reuptake inhibitors

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 Nortriptyline 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.

📄
FDA-filed drug labels (SPL) Uses, dosing, warnings & side effects from SPL records retrieved through openFDA; the linked representative set can be verified on DailyMed. ✓ Linked label effective Dec 4, 2024
🏭
Forms, brands & labelersAggregated from ingredient-matched FDA National Drug Code Directory product records for Nortriptyline.
📈
Real-world reportsThe FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), served through openFDA.
🚨
Recalls & shortagesopenFDA drug-enforcement reports and the FDA drug-shortage database.
🧾 Clinical label set — FDA-filed SPL labels retained for Nortriptyline after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching
Clinical labels in scope
63
Finished products in the current FDA directory
85
Companies listing them (makers, repackagers, distributors)
25
FDA labeler codes behind them ⓘ
30
Linked representative label ⓘ
SpecGx LLC
Linked label effective
Dec 4, 2024
Composite sections available
17
Linked SPL Set ID
e17dc299-f52d-414d-ab6e-e809bd6f8acb
Linked SPL Document ID
0c3b20b3-e852-4959-815a-90ed989a30e1
Open the linked representative label on DailyMed ↗

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. SpecGx 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 →