Amitriptyline, sold under the brand name Elavil among others, is a tricyclic antidepressant primarily used to treat cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS), major depressive disorder and a variety of pain syndromes from neuropathic pain to fibromyalgia to migraine and tension headaches. Due to the frequency and prominence of side effects, amitriptyline is generally considered a 
second-line therapy for these indications.The most common side effects are dry mouth, drowsiness, dizziness, constipation, and weight gain. Of note is sexual dysfunction, observed primarily in males. Glaucoma, liver toxicity and abnormal heart rhythms are rare but serious side effects. Blood levels of amitriptyline vary significantly from one person to another, and amitriptyline interacts with many other medications potentially aggravating its side effects. Amitriptyline was discovered in the late 1950s by scientists at Merck and approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1961. It is on the World Health Organizations List of Essential Medicines. It is available as a generic medication. In 2019, it was the 94th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 8 million prescriptions. Medical uses
Amitriptyline is indicated for the treatment of major depressive disorder and neuropathic pain and for the prevention of migraine and chronic tension headache. It can be used for the treatment of nocturnal enuresis in children older than 6 after other treatments have failed. Depression
Amitriptyline is effective for depression, but it is rarely used as a first-line antidepressant due to its higher toxicity in overdose and generally poorer tolerability.
Society and culture
English folk singer Nick Drake died from an overdose of Tryptizol in 1974.Senteni Masango, wife of Swaziland King Mswati, died on 6 April 2018 after committing suicide by overdosing on amytriptyline capsules.In the 2021 film The Many Saints of Newark, amitriptyline (referred to by the brand name Elavil) is part of the plot line of the movie. Generic names
Amitriptyline is the English and French generic name of the drug and its INN, BAN, and DCF, while amitriptyline hydrochloride is its USAN, USP, BANM, and JAN. Its generic name in Spanish and Italian and its DCIT are amitriptilina, in German is Amitriptylin, and in Latin is amitriptylinum. The embonate salt is known as amitriptyline embonate, which is its BANM, or as amitriptyline pamoate unofficially. Research
The few randomized controlled trials investigating amitriptyline efficacy in eating disorder have been discouraging. References
Further reading
Dean L (March 2017). "Amitriptyline Therapy and CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 Genotype". In Pratt VM, McLeod HL, Rubinstein WS,  et al. (eds.). Medical Genetics Summaries. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). PMID 28520380. External links
"Amitriptyline". Drug Information Portal. U.S. National Library of Medicine.