By
Mary
Bellis
In researching
the history behind Prozac I ran across something not found with any other
invention: a sentiment expressed by several independent sources that went
something like this, "I want to kiss the person who invented Prozac!" We
might all depend on the light bulb more, but we never hear anyone talk
about kissing Edison. Maybe the reason for the fondness for Prozac lies
behind the nature of this invention.
Prozac is the
registered trademarked name for fluoxetine hydrochloride and the world's
most widely prescribed antidepressant to-date, the first product in a major
new class of drugs for depression
called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors. Prozac was first introduced
to the US market in January 1988. It took two years for Prozac to gain
its 'most prescribed' status.
Prozac works
by increasing brain levels of serotonin,
a neurotransmitter that is thought to influence sleep, appetite, aggression
and mood. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that carry messages between nerve
cells. They are secreted by one cell and picked up by receptor proteins
on the surface of another. Once the message has been delivered, a neurotransmitter
is either destroyed or retrieved into the cell that made it. This process
is known as re-uptake. When re-uptake is inhibited, the effect of the serotonin
is amplified. It is not entirely known why increasing neurotransmitter
levels will reduce the severity of a depression. It may be that increased
levels of serotonin cause changes in the brain's concentration of neurotransmitter-binding
receptors. This might make the brain physically more capable of feeling
good.
The team of
inventors behind Prozac was lead by Ray Fuller. Fuller was posthumously
awarded the Pharmaceutical Discoverer's Award from Narsad
for discovering fluoxetine or Prozac. Also awarded were Bryan Molloy and
David Wong, both members of the Eli
Lilly Company research team.
While many
patients and medical personnel feel positively about Prozac, there are
lawsuits and studies that make a case for caution. A list of pro and con
opinions can be found among the list of resources provided at the end of
this article, including information on alternative treatments for depression.
[Prozac's known
side effects include nausea, diarrhea, insomnia and a lowered sex drive]
Other Eli
Lilly Company Innovations
Eli Lilly's
founder, Colonel Eli Lilly was the inventor of the gelatin capsule.
1920s
Introduced
Iletin®, the first insulin product. Developed with the research team
of Frederick Banting and Charles Best of the University of Toronto, the
new therapy revolutionized the treatment of diabetes.
1950s
Developed
long-acting, orally administered penicillin products; discovered erythromycin
(Ilosone®), the first of the macrolides, a major class of antibiotics;
developed and mass-produced the Salk polio vaccine for its first widespread
clinical trials.
1960s
Developed
the first agents of the cephalosporins, a major class of antibiotics. The
company later introduced Ceclor®, a member of the cephalosporin family
that became the world’s top-selling antibiotic.
1980s
Introduced
Humulin®, human insulin, the world’s first human-health-care product
created using recombinant DNA technology. Launched Prozac®, the first
product in a major new class of drugs for depression. Prozac® has become
the world’s most widely prescribed antidepressant.
1990s
Introduced
ReoPro®, a cardiovascular, antiplatelet agent; Gemzar®, an oncology
product; Humalog®, an insulin analog for diabetes; and ZyprexaTM®,
a new antipsychotic agent for the treatment of schizophrenia.
The product
names appearing on this table are U.S. trademarks. Names may be different
in other countries.
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