Current and potential areas of use of bupropion - a review of the literature Review article
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Published:
Mar 31, 2025
Keywords:
bupropion, depression, addictions, somatic illnesses
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Abstract
A review of meta-analyses and systematic reviews on bupropion for the period 2020-2025 was conducted. Of the 135 publications found, 25 describing current and potential uses of this drug in psychiatry were selected. Bupropion is particularly valuable as an adjunct to antidepressant treatment in terms of efficacy (improvement of neurocognitive function, drive, breaking drug resistance) and improving tolerability (improving sexual function, reducing weight gain) and perhaps accelerating the antidepressant effect. A separate thread is the use of bupropion in addiction. With the growing number of addictions, including behavioral addictions, further research in this area is to be expected.
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Pudlo, R., & Pudlo, M. (2025). Current and potential areas of use of bupropion - a review of the literature. Medycyna Faktow (J EBM), 18(1(66), 119-123. https://doi.org/10.24292/01.MF.0125.18
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References
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21. Siefried KJ, Acheson LS, Lintzeris N et al. Pharmacological Treatment of Methamphetamine/Amphetamine Dependence: A Systematic Review. CNS Drugs. 2020; 34(4): 337-65. http://doi.org/10.1007/s40263-020-00711-x.
22. Sá RRC, Coelho S, Parmar PK et al. A Systematic Review of Pharmacological Treatments for Internet Gaming Disorder. Psychiatry Investig. 2023; 20(8): 696-706. http://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2022.0297.
23. Boaden K, Tomlinson A, Cortese S et al. Antidepressants in Children and Adolescents: Meta-Review of Efficacy, Tolerability and Suicidality in Acute Treatment. Front Psychiatry. 2020; 11: 717. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00717.
24. Noe G, Shah K, Ongchuan S et al. Clinical Presentations of Bupropion Prescription Drug Misuse: A Systematic Review. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2024; 44(3): 284-90. http://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000001858.
25. Aikoye S, Basiru TO, Nwoye I et al. A Systematic Review of Abuse or Overprescription of Bupropion in American Prisons and a Synthesis of Case Reports on Bupropion Abuse in American Prison and Non-prison Systems. Cureus. 2023; 15(3): e36189. http://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.36189.
2. Ji M, Feng J, Liu G. Efficacy and safety of aripiprazole or bupropion augmentation and switching in patients with treatment-resistant depression or major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PLoS One. 2024; 19(4): e0299020. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299020.
3. Akbar D, Rhee TG, Ceban F et al. Dextromethorphan-Bupropion for the Treatment of Depression: A Systematic Review of Efficacy and Safety in Clinical Trials. CNS Drugs. 2023; 37(10): 867-81. http://doi.org/10.1007/s40263-023-01032-5.
4. Gaca Z, Pruc M, Swieczkowski D et al. Network meta-analysis (NMA) of dextromethorphan-bupropion (AXS-05) efficacy and safety in major depressive disorder. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2024; 86: 18-9. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2024.04.016.
5. Sakurai H, Yonezawa K, Tani H et al. Novel Antidepressants in the Pipeline (Phase II and III): A Systematic Review of the US Clinical Trials Registry. Pharmacopsychiatry. 2022; 55(4): 193-202. http://doi.org/10.1055/a-1714-9097.
6. Masdrakis VG, Markianos M, Baldwin DS. Apathy associated with antidepressant drugs: a systematic review. Acta Neuropsychiatr. 2023; 35(4): 189-204. http://doi.org/10.1017/neu.2023.6.
7. Correa-Morales JE, Cuellar-Valencia L, Mantilla-Manosalva N et al. Cancer and Non-cancer Fatigue Treated With Bupropion: A Systematic Review. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2023; 65(1): e21-8. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2022.09.011.
8. de Aquino ACQ, Sarmento ACA, Teixeira RLA et al. Pharmacological treatment of antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction in women: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2025; 80: 100602. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinsp.2025.100602.
9. Razali NA, Sidi H, Choy CL et al. The Role of Bupropion in the Treatment of Women with Sexual Desire Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2022; 20(10): 1941-55. http://doi.org/10.2174/1570159X20666220222145735.
10. Ramli FF, Azizi MH, Syed Hashim SA. Treatments of Sexual Dysfunction in Opioid Substitution Therapy Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Med Sci. 2021; 18(11): 2372-80. http://doi.org/10.7150/ijms.57641.
11. Blumberg MJ, Vaccarino SR, McInerney SJ. Procognitive Effects of Antidepressants and Other Therapeutic Agents in Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review. J Clin Psychiatry. 2020; 81(4): 19r13200. http://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.19r13200.
12. Reis JAS, Rossi GN, L Osório F et al. Interventions for deficits in recognition of emotions in facial expressions in major depressive disorder: An updated systematic review of clinical trials. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2023; 153: 105367. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105367.
13. Hirschbeck A, Leao DS, Wagner E et al. Psychiatric medication and physical performance parameters - Are there implications for treatment? Front Psychiatry. 2022; 13: 985983. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.985983.
14. Lee K, Abraham S, Cleaver R. A systematic review of licensed weight-loss medications in treating antipsychotic-induced weight gain and obesity in schizophrenia and psychosis. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2022; 78: 58-67. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2022.07.006.
15. Leary M, Pursey KM, Verdejo-Garcia A et al. Current Intervention Treatments for Food Addiction: A Systematic Review. Behav Sci (Basel). 2021; 11(6): 80. http://doi.org/10.3390/bs11060080.
16. Hedrick R, Korouri S, Tadros E et al. The impact of antidepressants on depressive symptom severity, quality of life, morbidity, and mortality in heart failure: a systematic review. Drugs Context. 2020; 9: 2020-5-4. http://doi.org/10.7573/dic.2020-5-4.
17. Barbuti M, Menculini G, Verdolini N et al. A systematic review of manic/hypomanic and depressive switches in patients with bipolar disorder in naturalistic settings: The role of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2023; 73: 1-15. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2023.04.013.
18. Roberts E, Sanderson E, Guerrini I. The Pharmacological Management of Ketamine Use Disorder: A Systematic Review. J Addict Med. 2024; 18(5): 574-9. http://doi.org/10.1097/ADM.0000000000001340.
19. Bakouni H, Sharafi H, Bahremand A et al. Bupropion for treatment of amphetamine-type stimulant use disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2023; 253: 111018. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.111018.
20. Apuy LFM, Barreto MAB, Merino LAH. Efficacy of bupropion and cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of methamphetamine use disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Braz J Psychiatry. 2023; 45(3): 280-5. http://doi.org/10.47626/1516-4446-2022-2979.
21. Siefried KJ, Acheson LS, Lintzeris N et al. Pharmacological Treatment of Methamphetamine/Amphetamine Dependence: A Systematic Review. CNS Drugs. 2020; 34(4): 337-65. http://doi.org/10.1007/s40263-020-00711-x.
22. Sá RRC, Coelho S, Parmar PK et al. A Systematic Review of Pharmacological Treatments for Internet Gaming Disorder. Psychiatry Investig. 2023; 20(8): 696-706. http://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2022.0297.
23. Boaden K, Tomlinson A, Cortese S et al. Antidepressants in Children and Adolescents: Meta-Review of Efficacy, Tolerability and Suicidality in Acute Treatment. Front Psychiatry. 2020; 11: 717. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00717.
24. Noe G, Shah K, Ongchuan S et al. Clinical Presentations of Bupropion Prescription Drug Misuse: A Systematic Review. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2024; 44(3): 284-90. http://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000001858.
25. Aikoye S, Basiru TO, Nwoye I et al. A Systematic Review of Abuse or Overprescription of Bupropion in American Prisons and a Synthesis of Case Reports on Bupropion Abuse in American Prison and Non-prison Systems. Cureus. 2023; 15(3): e36189. http://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.36189.