Zuranolone, sold under the brand name Zurzuvae, is a medication used for the treatment of postpartum depression.
Pregnancy category-Contraindicated
Routes ofadministration By mouth.
Drug class- Neurosteroid; GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulator
An orally active inhibitory pregnane neurosteroid, zuranolone acts as a positive allosteric modulator of the GABAA receptor.
Protein binding 99.5%
Metabolism CYP3A4
Elimination half-life 16–23 hours
Side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, diarrhea, fatigue, nasopharyngitis, and urinary tract infection.
Approved for medical use in the United States for the treatment of postpartum depression.
It’s has a boxed warning noting that zuranolone can impact a person’s ability to drive and perform other potentially hazardous activities.
It may cause suicidal thoughts and behavior.
Zuranolone may cause fetal harm.
The efficacy of zuranolone for the treatment of postpartum depression in adults has been demonstrated in two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter studies.
The trial participants were women with postpartum depression who met the diagnostic criteria for a major depressive episode and whose symptoms began in the third trimester or within four weeks of delivery.
Participants in the zuranolone groups showed significantly more improvement in their symptoms compared to those in the placebo groups.
The treatment effect was maintained at day 42—four weeks after the last dose of zuranolone.