tricyclic

[ trahy-sahy-klik, -sik-lik ]

adjective

1. pertaining to or embodying three cycles.

noun

1. Also called tricyclic antidepressant. Pharmacology. any of a group of pharmacologically active substances, as imipramine, that share a common three-ring structure, used to treat depression and cocaine abuse.

tricyclic

/ traɪˈsaɪklɪk /

adjective

1. (of a chemical compound) containing three rings in the molecular structure

noun

1. an antidepressant drug having a tricyclic molecular structure

tricyclic

/ trī-sī′klĭk,-sĭk′lĭk /

1. Relating to a chemical compound having three closed rings. Anthracene is a tricyclic hydrocarbon.
2. Relating to a class of drugs used to treat depression and having a tricyclic chemical structure consisting of two benzene rings fused to opposite sides of a seven-member ring. The seven-member ring consists of six carbon atoms and one nitrogen atom. Tricyclic antidepressants enhance the activity of monoamine neurotransmitters in the brain by inhibiting their reuptake by the cells that secrete them.
3. Composed of or arranged in three distinct whorls, as the petals of a flower.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tricyclic¹

First recorded in 1890–95; tri- + cyclic

Example Sentences

Amitriptyline belongs to a group of medications called tricyclics.

From Science Daily

First there were tricyclic antidepressants, then there were SSRIs like Prozac and SNRIs like Cymbalta, drugs that target neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine.

From Los Angeles Times

For older patients, the most commonly prescribed inappropriate medicines include proton pump inhibitors like Nexium and Prilosec, benzodiazepines like Xanax and Ativan, and tricyclic antidepressants, according to an analysis of Medicare data published last year.

From New York Times

Other deadly single pills include antimalarials, tricyclic antidepressants, beta blockers and calcium channel blockers.

From Washington Post

For example, cancer patients with pain as a result of nerve damage caused by chemotherapy might first be treated with paracetamol and a tricyclic antidepressant.

From BBC