a set of drugs, cultivated within the 1950's, which were the initial first-line medicines for remediation of depression. They are thought to operate by inhibiting the reuptake of monoamine neurotransmitters into the presynaptic neuron, thereby escalating the quantity of neurotransmitter accessible for binding to postsynaptic receptors. Tricyclic antidepressants have a trademark three-ring molecular center. They might be tertiary amines or their metabolites, those being secondary amines.. Other members of the drug set are inclusive of protriptyline and clomipramine. United States brand name: Vivactil.