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paroxetine mesylate

Pharmaranks rates Paroxetine Mesylate 3.5/5 for recall safety — an independent score from its FDA recall history and its manufacturer's record. Paroxetine Mesylate is a serotonin reuptake inhibitor used to treat Feeding and Eating Disorders, Depressive Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Phobic Disorders.

Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor · by Actavis Labs Fl Inc

Generic of Brisdelle

70/100Limited · 1 source

Based on 1 source · Recall-safety score from FDA recall history — this product's own recalls and its manufacturer's record. Not an efficacy or quality rating. methodology →

Rated against independent regulatory sources·Last updated August 22, 2026·How we rate
Verified againstopenFDANIH DailyMedRxClass
~$2.84 /30
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This medication~$2.84/30
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Key facts

Active ingredient
Paroxetine Mesylate
Form
Capsule
Strength
Paroxetine Mesylate EQ 7.5MG Base
Type
Prescription (Rx)
Brand or generic
Generic
Half-life
about 21 hours on average (the label reports a mean of approximately 21 hours, with 32% variability between people) (how long it stays in your system)
What the pharmacy pays
~$2.84 for 30 — not your price
FDA application
ANDA207139

How long does Paroxetine Mesylate stay in your body?

The elimination half-life of paroxetine mesylate is about 21 hours on average (the label reports a mean of approximately 21 hours, with 32% variability between people) — the time it takes the body to clear about half of it. As a rule of thumb, a medicine is mostly gone after roughly 4 to 5 half-lives, though this varies from person to person with age and kidney or liver function. This is the mean elimination half-life measured after 30 mg daily for 30 days; the label gives a single mean with 32% coefficient of variation rather than a range, so individual values vary widely. No active metabolite to worry about: the label states paroxetine's metabolites "have no more than 1/50 the potency of the parent compound at inhibiting serotonin uptake," so the parent drug's half-life is the one that matters. Paroxetine is not a prodrug. Paroxetine's kinetics are non-linear — it partly saturates the enzyme (CYP2D6) that clears it, so exposure rises more than proportionally with higher doses and with longer treatment, and the effective half-life can be longer than 21 hours at higher doses. The label does not print a separate half-life number for special populations (it presents them in a figure), but it does say drug exposure is higher and that "the recommended starting dosage and maximum dosage of paroxetine is reduced in elderly patients, patients with severe renal impairment, and patients with severe hepatic impairment" — so expect the drug to linger longer than 21 hours in those groups. This figure describes how long the drug itself is cleared from the body; it is not a drug-test detection window and not dosing guidance.

This is general information, not medical advice. It doesn’t tell you when a drug test would read negative (tests detect substances for different, often longer, windows) or when it’s safe to take another dose — ask your pharmacist or prescriber. Source: PAROXETINE tablet, film coated (Zydus Pharmaceuticals (USA) Inc.) — DailyMed, Section 12.3 Pharmacokinetics.

Drug class

How this class works, per Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf.

May treat (source: NIH RxClass)

Dosage forms

Capsule

The forms currently marketed in the U.S., per the FDA National Drug Code Directory.

Ways to save

Ask for the generic

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Request a 90-day supply

Bulk fills usually lower the per-dose price vs monthly refills.

Use copay cards

Manufacturer copay cards & patient-assistance programs — especially for brand drugs.

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Frequently asked questions

What does Paroxetine Mesylate treat?
Paroxetine Mesylate (Paroxetine Mesylate) may be used to treat feeding and eating disorders, depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobic disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, panic disorder, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.
How does Paroxetine Mesylate work?
Paroxetine Mesylate is a serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) block the transporter that pulls serotonin back into nerve cells, so more of this mood-related chemical stays in the gaps between neurons to keep signaling. They act mainly on serotonin, which tends to mean fewer side effects than older antidepressants.
How is Paroxetine Mesylate rated?
pharmaranks gives Paroxetine Mesylate a composite score of 3.5 out of 5, currently based on 1 weighted source (FDA regulatory recall-safety data weighted highest). See our methodology at /how-we-rate.
How much does Paroxetine Mesylate cost?
Nobody can tell you what you will pay — your price is set by your insurer's formulary, your deductible and the pharmacy's markup, and none of those are published. What IS published is what the pharmacy paid to acquire it: about $2.84 for 30, per the CMS NADAC survey. Treat that as the floor, not the quote — ask the pharmacist for the cash price as well as your copay, because for cheap generics the cash price often wins. Pharmacies pay less for a same-class option, Sertraline Hydrochloride — about $1.09 on the same basis.
Is there a coupon or discount for Paroxetine Mesylate?
pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Paroxetine Mesylate. To pay less, Paroxetine Mesylate is already a generic — usually the lowest-cost version — so the main levers are comparing cash prices between pharmacies and using a pharmacy discount-card service. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.
Who makes Paroxetine Mesylate?
Paroxetine Mesylate is marketed by Actavis Labs Fl Inc. You can see Actavis Labs Fl Inc's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.
Is Paroxetine Mesylate a brand-name or generic drug?
Paroxetine Mesylate is a generic medication; its active ingredient is Paroxetine Mesylate. Generics contain the same active ingredient as the brand-name original and are usually lower cost.
Is Paroxetine Mesylate available over the counter?
No. Paroxetine Mesylate is a prescription (Rx) medication in the US — you need a prescription from a licensed clinician (in person or via telehealth); it isn't sold over the counter. For some conditions there are OTC alternatives — ask your pharmacist.
What forms does Paroxetine Mesylate come in?
Paroxetine Mesylate is currently marketed as capsule, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.
What class of drug is Paroxetine Mesylate?
Paroxetine Mesylate is classified as serotonin reuptake inhibitor, per the FDA's Established Pharmacologic Class.
Is Paroxetine Mesylate FDA-registered?
Paroxetine Mesylate is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number ANDA207139. You can verify this on its official FDA label.
Has Paroxetine Mesylate been recalled by the FDA?
Paroxetine Mesylate has no FDA recalls recorded under its own application in the openFDA enforcement database. Its recall-safety score reflects its manufacturer's overall recall record. This is general reference, not medical advice — check the FDA recall database for the latest alerts.
Is Paroxetine Mesylate safe?
There's no single safe-or-not verdict. pharmaranks gives Paroxetine Mesylate a recall-safety score of 70/100, based on its FDA recall history (no recalls under its own FDA application) — not an efficacy or side-effect rating. Review its FDA-label side effects and warnings before use, and always consult a licensed professional.

Information is sourced from public FDA regulatory data. Provided for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional and the current prescribing information.

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