Effexor mechanism of action?

Effexor (venlafaxine) works as a serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI).

- Primary action: it blocks the serotonin transporter (SERT) and the norepinephrine transporter (NET), increasing levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the synaptic cleft to help improve mood and anxiety symptoms.
- Dose dependence: at low doses, SERT inhibition dominates; at higher antidepressant doses, NET inhibition becomes more prominent; at very high doses there can be some weak dopamine reuptake inhibition, but that’s not the main effect.
- Metabolite: venlafaxine is metabolized to O-desvenlafaxine (desvenlafaxine), which also has SNRI activity and contributes to the overall effect.
- Receptor profile: it has minimal activity at other receptors (not strongly anticholinergic or sedating), but increased norepinephrine can raise blood pressure, especially at higher doses.

If you want, I can tailor this to a particular dose or compare it to other antidepressants.