Citalopram Hydrobromide
Citalopram hydrobromide is the common form of the SSRI antidepressant citalopram. Citalopram came to market initially under the brand name Celexa, and is now widely available as a generic medication. Hydrobromide is the usual congener of the formulation of citalopram that is widely sold. Hydrobromide is simply the hydrogen atom attached to the bromine atom:
H-Br is commonly used in industry to make both inorganic bromides and organobromides. This may be of intellectual interest to some readers, but you should not be confused by the proper name, citalopram bromide is simply the citalopram that is marketed as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.
Hydrobromine trivia:
- Bromide is found naturally in sea water, and makes up about 0.2% of natural sea salts
- Hydrobromic acid has a pKa of -9, making it a stronger acid than hydrochloric acid
- To prepare hydrobromic acid in the laboratory chemists mix Br2 with SO2 and water: Br2 + SO2 + 2 H2O → H2SO4 + 2 HBr
- Historically bromides were used as sedatives, as antiepileptics and until 1975 as Bromoseltzer.
- Bromine was isolated and discovered in 1824-5, has an atomic number of 35 and an atomic weight of 79.9, and is in the halogen element group along with fluorine, chlorine, iodine and astatine.
This page is primarily to clear up any confusion as to why citalopram is sometimes called citalopram hydrobromide, and the trivia is for humor and interest only. Don’t be confused. Refer to the citalopram reviews, citalopram side effects and citalopram and alcohol pages for more clinically relevant information.