Amitriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant, one of the oldest classes of antidepressant still in regular use. It increases the levels of noradrenaline and serotonin in the brain by blocking their reuptake, and it also blocks a range of other receptors — which is both why it has so many side effects and why it is useful for so many different problems.
In the NAFDAC register
4 registered products
from 4 registration holders
What it costs online
Price varies — check with a pharmacy. This drug has not yet appeared in our fortnightly sampling of Nigerian online pharmacies.
Brands of Amitriptyline in Nigeria
Those 4 products from 4 registration holders include combination products and older listings; below are the most common brands.
| Brand Name | Manufacturer | Strength | Form | NAFDAC Reg. No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amitryptylline HCl Tablets | Manfes Pharmaceutical Company Limited | 25mg | Tablet | B4-3798 |
| Joncine Tablets | Jonco Pharmaceutical Company Ltd | 25mg | Tablet | A4-6551 |
Amitriptyline Price in Nigeria
Amitriptyline prices in Nigeria vary by brand, strength, and where you buy it. Confirm the current price with a licensed pharmacy, and always check the product is NAFDAC-registered before you pay.
We show a price here once it appears in our monthly sampling of Nigerian online pharmacies (MedPlus, HealthPlus), or when we have a reliable market figure. For now, confirm the current price directly with a licensed pharmacy.
How to Verify Your Amitriptyline is Genuine
- 1Check the NAFDAC number on the pack — Joncine carries A4-6551 and Manfes's Amitryptylline HCl carries B4-3798 in our copy of the register.
- 2Only two amitriptyline products hold active registrations in our copy, so a brand you cannot find in the register warrants questions before you pay.
- 3Confirm the number with our NAFDAC checker.
- 4Note the strength carefully. Amitriptyline is prescribed at very different doses for pain (10–25mg) and depression (50–150mg), and taking a 25mg tablet when you were prescribed 10mg is a real and common error.
- 5Buy from a registered pharmacy and keep the medicine out of reach of children — overdose is dangerous and small quantities matter in a child.
Where to Buy
Buying Amitriptyline by the carton
Cartons are bought at Nigeria's four open drug markets. Each guide names the sellers there you can contact, and how to buy safely:
No shop we list has Amitriptyline on its confirmed product list yet — the market guides still tell you where the trade happens and how to buy there safely.
Wherever you buy, buy only from licensed pharmacies and verified distributors — not roadside vendors — and verify the pack's NAFDAC registration before you pay. Buying Amitriptyline in bulk or for resale? See how to buy medicines in bulk in Nigeria safely.
Need Amitriptyline in bulk, or can't find it near you?
Tell us what you need and we'll connect you with a verified, NAFDAC-registered source.
What is Amitriptyline?
In practice, most amitriptyline prescribed today is not for depression. At low doses — 10mg to 25mg at night, far below the antidepressant range — it is one of the most effective treatments available for nerve pain: diabetic neuropathy, pain after shingles, and various chronic pain syndromes. It is also used to prevent migraine and chronic tension headache. Depression itself is now more often treated with SSRIs such as fluoxetine or sertraline, which are much safer in overdose.
Our copy of the NAFDAC register shows two active amitriptyline registrations, both 25mg tablets: Amitryptylline HCl from Manfes and Joncine from Jonco Pharmaceutical. It is a cheap, widely known medicine with a thin registered supply — a combination worth being alert to when buying it.
What is Amitriptyline used for?
In Nigeria, Amitriptyline is commonly used for:
- Neuropathic pain — diabetic nerve pain and post-herpetic neuralgia after shingles, at low doses
- Depression, especially where insomnia is a prominent feature
- Migraine prevention
- Chronic tension-type headache
- Fibromyalgia and some chronic pain syndromes
- Nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting) in children over six, under specialist supervision only
Dosage
IMPORTANT
Always follow your doctor's or pharmacist's instructions. The information below is for general reference only.
Adults
For nerve pain and migraine prevention, treatment starts very low — usually 10mg at night — and is increased slowly every week or two toward 25mg to 75mg at night if needed. Taking it two to three hours before bed rather than at bedtime reduces the morning grogginess many people complain about. For depression, doses are considerably higher, typically 50mg to 150mg daily, and should be managed by a doctor. Pain relief can take two weeks to appear and the antidepressant effect four to six weeks — stopping early because 'it isn't working' is the commonest mistake.
Children
Amitriptyline is not used for depression in children and adolescents, where it is both ineffective and unsafe. Its only established paediatric use is for bedwetting in children over six, at low doses, for short periods, and under specialist supervision — a use that has largely given way to safer alternatives. Amitriptyline is dangerous to small children in overdose, and packs must be kept well out of reach.
Elderly
Older adults are much more sensitive to amitriptyline's effects on the heart, blood pressure, bladder and memory. Doses start at 10mg or lower and rise slowly. In older people it raises the risk of falls, confusion and urinary retention, and many guidelines now advise avoiding it where a safer option exists.
Amitriptyline is DANGEROUS IN OVERDOSE — far more so than modern antidepressants — and can cause fatal heart rhythm disturbance. This is not a medicine to keep a large stock of, and it must be stored out of the reach of children. Do not stop it abruptly after long use: taper it, or you may get headache, nausea, restlessness and sleep disturbance. And be aware that most people prescribed it in Nigeria are taking it for pain, not depression — being given an 'antidepressant' for nerve pain is normal and not a comment on your mental health.
Side Effects
Common side effects
- •Drowsiness and morning grogginess — often the reason people stop
- •Dry mouth, sometimes marked
- •Constipation
- •Blurred vision
- •Dizziness on standing, and weight gain
Serious side effects — seek medical help immediately
- Heart rhythm disturbance, particularly at higher doses or in overdose
- Urinary retention — an inability to pass urine, more likely in older men with prostate enlargement
- Acute angle-closure glaucoma — sudden eye pain with blurred vision and halos
- Confusion, agitation or hallucinations, especially in older adults
- Suicidal thoughts, particularly in the first weeks and in people under 25
- Serotonin syndrome when combined with other serotonergic drugs
When to see a doctor
Seek urgent care for palpitations or a racing, irregular heartbeat, fainting, an inability to pass urine, or sudden eye pain with blurred vision. Contact your doctor about new or worsening thoughts of self-harm, marked confusion, or a persistent fast pulse. Any suspected overdose is a medical emergency requiring immediate hospital attention, even if the person seems well — amitriptyline overdose can deteriorate suddenly.
Warnings & Precautions
Do not take Amitriptyline if you have:
- Recent heart attack, or significant heart rhythm or conduction disorders
- Use with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), or within 14 days of stopping one
- Severe liver disease
- Untreated narrow-angle glaucoma
- Mania, or bipolar disorder without mood-stabilising cover
Drug interactions
- •MAOIs — a dangerous and potentially fatal combination
- •Tramadol — increased risk of seizures and serotonin syndrome; a common and important pairing to avoid in pain clinics
- •SSRIs such as fluoxetine and sertraline — raise amitriptyline levels and add serotonin risk
- •Other sedating medicines and alcohol — additive drowsiness
- •Drugs that prolong the QT interval, including some antimalarials and antipsychotics — added heart rhythm risk
- •Carbamazepine — lowers amitriptyline levels, sometimes making it ineffective
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Amitriptyline is not first choice in pregnancy, and the decision to use it depends on how severe the condition being treated is and what alternatives exist. It is not known to be a major cause of birth defects, but babies exposed near delivery can show withdrawal symptoms. It passes into breast milk in small amounts and is often regarded as one of the more acceptable tricyclics during breastfeeding, with the infant watched for sedation and poor feeding. Discuss any planned pregnancy with your doctor rather than stopping the medicine yourself.
Related Resources for Amitriptyline
Guides, articles, and tools related to Amitriptyline and other mental health medicines in Nigeria.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
- •NAFDAC Greenbook — the official database of all products registered with Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. Brand-level NAFDAC numbers for Amitriptyline on this page were cross-referenced against the Greenbook.
- •WHO Model List of Essential Medicines — Amitriptyline is included in the WHO's list of essential medicines, meaning it is considered essential for basic healthcare needs.
- •British National Formulary (BNF) dosing and interaction guidance for Amitriptyline.
- •Nigerian Standard Treatment Guidelines (Federal Ministry of Health).
Daily puzzle: Meddle — pair five brands with their medicines. New game at midnight.