Do antidepressants lose potency over time? (3+ reasons why you should avoid them)
By
Dr Natalia Marceli Stephanes (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes PhD is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drugs Administration and Toxicity; Discovery of New Drugs; Cancer Treatment; Biochemical Analyzes and Hematological Analyzes. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes’ Highlights:
- Pharmacist at the Department of Health of Santa Catarina State, Brazil
- PhD with a focus on oncology treatment
- Years of experience in commercial pharmacy
- Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina
Professional Experience:
From her undergraduate studies to her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Pharmacy, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has participated in numerous scientific studies in the field of oncology and onco-hematology at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Her research has focused on understanding the molecular and biochemical bases of malignant neoplasms and investigating safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has also served as an assistant professor of haematology for undergraduate students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. Additionally, she held the position of professor of Hospital Pharmacy at the Qualificar Technical School in Brazil, where she developed instructional materials for use in the Pharmacy Postgraduate Program at the Leonardo Da Vinci University Center.
In addition to her academic experiences, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes possesses a strong expertise in commercial pharmacy, with in-depth knowledge of medications, their routes of administration, desired effects, adverse effects, and toxicity.
Currently, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes works as a Pharmacist at the Health Department of Santa Catarina State, where her role entails providing pharmaceutical scientific consulting services to judges.
Education:
- 2016 Bachelor in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2018 Master in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2023 PhD in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
The main publications of Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes are:
Falchetti M ; Delgobo M, Zancanaro H, Almeida K, Das Neves RN, Dos Santos B, Stefanes NM, et al. Bishop Omics-based identification of an NRF2-related auranofin resistance signature in cancer: Insights into drug repurposing. Comput. Biol. Med [Internet]. 2023; 152:106347.
Feuser PM, Matos dos Santos PC, Cordeiro AP, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Maioral MF, Santos-Silva MC, et al. Antineoplastic activity of free 4-nitrochalcone and encapsulated in poly(thioether-ester) nanoparticles obtained by thiol-ene polymerization in two human leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and K562). J Drug Deliv Sci Technol [Internet]. 2022; 67:102924.
Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Perondi DM, Efe FL, Souza LFS, Sens L, et al. Synthesis of chalcones derived from 1-naphthylacetophenone and evaluation of their cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in acute leukemia cell lines. Bioorg. Chem [Internet]. 2021; 116:105315.
Duarte BF, Vieira DSC, Lisboa ML, Stefanes NM, Grando LJ, Santos-Silva MC. Características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes portadores de carcinoma de células escamosas de boca. Arquivos Catarinenses de Medicina. 2021; 50(2): 232–245.
Machado V, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Santos-Silva MC, Biavatti MW. Anti-leukemic activity of semisynthetic derivatives of Lupeol. Nat. Prod. Res. 2021; 35(22):4494-4501.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Yunes RA, et al. A novel sulfonamide derivative as a strong and selective apoptotic agent against hematological malignancies. Chem. Pap. 2020; 74:2965–2976.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Cytotoxic mechanisms of primin, a natural quinone isolated from Eugenia hiemalis, on hematological cancer cell lines. Anticancer Drugs. 2020; 31(7):709-717.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Neufeldt PD, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Santos-Silva MC. Aldehyde biphenyl chalcones induce immunogenic apoptotic-like cell death and are promising new safe compounds against a wide range of hematologic cancers. Future Med. Chem. 2020; 12(8):673–688.
Perondi DM, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Maioral MF, Sens L, Pacheco LA, Cury NM, et al. A novel thiosemicarbazone as a promising effective and selective compound for acute leukemia. Anticancer Drugs. 2019; 30(8):p 828-837.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Argenta DF, Dotto MER, Santos-Silva MC, et al. PEO-chitosan nanofibers containing carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanoparticles loaded with pyrazoline for skin cancer treatment. Eur. Polym. J. 2019; 119:335-343.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Santos-Silva MC, Nunes RJ, Parize AL, et al. A new and efficient carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanocarrier for a pyrazoline with antileukemic activity. Mater. Sci. Eng. C [Internet]. 2019; 105:110051.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Miconidine acetate, a new selective and cytotoxic compound with synergic potential, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in leukemia cells. Invest. New Drugs. 2019; 37:912–922.
Srefanes NM, Toigo J, Maioral MF, Jacques AV, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Perondi DM, Ribeiro AAB, et al. Synthesis of novel pyrazoline derivatives and the evaluation of death mechanisms involved in their antileukemic activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2019; 27(2):375-382.
Maioral MF, Bodack CN, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Yunes RA, et al. Cytotoxic effect of a novel naphthylchalcone against multiple cancer cells focusing on hematologic malignancies. Biochim. 2017; 140:48-57.
You can view some of Dr Natália’s work below and links to her professional profile below.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natalia-Stephanes
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliamarceli/
Do antidepressants lose potency over time?
Yes, antidepressants do lose potency over time – which is why they have expiry dates printed on the packaging. Every drug moiety remains good for a certain period of time, after which it either begins to lose effectiveness or converts into a different chemically active substance.
Antidepressants, being no exception, also begin to lose their clinical efficacy as they move past their expiration dates. Although these medications may remain effective for a long period of time after their printed expiration period, they should not be trusted.
There is limited research on the degradation of drugs once they are past the expiration dates, which is one of the biggest reasons why the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends not taking them (1).
Yes, it may still work and help your mental health condition – but there’s an equal chance of it not working or making your mental condition even worse. There is no easy way to tell how an expired antidepressant will affect you and one shouldn’t risk their health to find it out.
Potential risks of taking an expired antidepressant
Taking an expired antidepressant for your mental health condition is associated with some risks, which can vary from person to person. These include:
Inadequate therapeutic efficacy
The biggest concern with using an antidepressant that has expired and lost its potency is an insufficient therapeutic response, as the drug will fail to make the necessary changes in your system.
Antidepressants alter the amount of excitatory neurotransmitters in the brain to counteract symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, and several other mental health conditions. Taking an ineffective antidepressant will not get you anywhere near your therapeutic goal.
Delayed onset of action
It is a known fact that antidepressants – including the most commonly used medicines like Zoloft, Lexapro, Effexor etc take time to work. These medications gradually start stabilising the excitatory chemicals in your brain and you can’t expect to see a positive change overnight.
However, they do start managing your mood and some physical symptoms of depression. If you continue taking expired or ineffective antidepressants, it will take even longer to make positive changes in your condition.
This not only affects your treatment, but it can also exacerbate your symptoms and the worsening of depression is the last thing one would want. This is why you should always stick to fully potent antidepressants.
Risk of adverse events
As we have discussed earlier, expired antidepressants don’t have any guarantee regarding their safety and efficacy. Some drugs may chemically change into another active substance, or they may chemically degrade and become toxic.
In such cases, taking an expired antidepressant can trigger serious allergic reactions, which may become life-threatening for some individuals.
Relapse of symptoms
A less potent antidepressant may still help you feel a little better, but you can’t expect the results to be long-lasting. Depression relapses are common even with fully potent antidepressants, so you can imagine why a less potent antidepressant can’t provide promising long-term results.
What to do if you’re struggling with depression?
Reach out to your mental healthcare professional if you’re struggling with depression. Depression is a mind-numbing illness which can significantly affect the quality of your life if not treated properly. If there’s something upsetting you, I recommend seeking therapy.
It always feels nice to talk to someone about your problems and therapy can help you look at the brighter side of your life.
If your condition demands antidepressant therapy, your doctor will prescribe you the most appropriate medication based on your symptoms, age, the root cause of depression, the presence of any underlying disease, and overall physiological well-being.
Make sure you don’t start taking any medication without your doctor’s approval. It is also important to properly follow your doctor’s directions and never deviate from the recommended dose and frequency of your antidepressant.
Remember, proper use of medications is essential for a safe and effective therapeutic outcome.
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References
1.-
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Don’t Be Tempted to Use Expired Medicines [Internet]. Silver Spring (MD): U.S. Food and Drug Administration; 2021 [cited 2023 Jun 01]. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/special-features/dont-be-tempted-use-expired-medicines.
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