How selective is escitalopram?

Escitalopram has been investigated in more than 140 different receptor and binding assays. Apart from its effect on the 5-HT transporter, it has no significant activity at any of the other receptors/binding sites that have been tested (ref.1). Among these are several that are of particular pharmacological interest:

• histamine H₁
• 5-HT_1A and 5-HT_2C
• muscarine cholinergic
• dopamine D₁ and D₂
• noradrenaline a₁, a₂, b
• sigma₁ and sigma₂
• benzodiazepine
• opioid.

In practice: escitalopram is highly specific and selective, and this translates into an excellent tolerability profile.

---

References:

1. Sánchez et al, 2002