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Bupropion (Wellbutrin)

Antidepressantprescriptionoral · predicted

Norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI). Unique among antidepressants for lacking sexual side effects and aiding smoking cessation. Active metabolite hydroxybupropion reaches steady state in ~8 days.

Projected serum levels — 150 mg, twice daily

Bupropion (Wellbutrin)
Bupropion (Wellbutrin) modeled serum levels, 150 mg twice daily over 15 days Population-based pharmacokinetic estimate. Steady state reached after approximately 2 days. 0 12.5 25 37.5 50 Day 0 Day 4 Day 7 Day 11 Day 15 Time on a regular schedule ≈ steady state · day 2
Bupropion (Wellbutrin) modeled serum levels with a loading dose of 280 mg, then 150 mg twice daily The first dose is larger so levels approach steady state faster. 0 12.5 25 37.5 50 Day 0 Day 4 Day 7 Day 11 Day 15 Time on a regular schedule

Maintenance schedule: 150 mg twice daily (oral).

Loading schedule: 280 mg on day 1, then 150 mg twice daily — reaching therapeutic levels sooner.

Modeled steady state after ~2 days: peak ≈ 30.3 mg, trough ≈ 18.4 mg body load. Population-based estimate over 15 days for a 150 mg dose at a 70 kg reference body mass — the interactive app scales curves to your doses, timing, and body mass.

Key facts

Category
Antidepressant
Route modeled
Oral
Model confidence
predicted
Half-life
21 h
Common dose
150 mg
Suggested maximum
450 mg/day
Reference dose range
100–450 mg (single dose)
Suggested cadence
twice daily
Validated against
150 mg oral — Cmax 0.11 mg/L at 3 h

Documented interactions

  • danger
    4-MMC (Mephedrone) + Bupropion (Wellbutrin) CYP inhibition

    Bupropion (Wellbutrin) reversible_inhibitor of CYP2D6 predicted to change 4-MMC (Mephedrone) AUC by ~2.27x

  • danger
    6-APB (Benzofury / 6-(2-aminopropyl)benzofuran) + Bupropion (Wellbutrin) CYP inhibition

    Bupropion (Wellbutrin) reversible_inhibitor of CYP2D6 predicted to change 6-APB (Benzofury / 6-(2-aminopropyl)benzofuran) AUC by ~3.33x

  • danger
    Amphetamine (Adderall) + Bupropion (Wellbutrin) CYP inhibition

    Bupropion (Wellbutrin) reversible_inhibitor of CYP2D6 predicted to change Amphetamine (Adderall) AUC by ~2.11x

  • danger
    Atomoxetine (Strattera) + Bupropion (Wellbutrin) CYP inhibition

    Bupropion (Wellbutrin) reversible_inhibitor of CYP2D6 predicted to change Atomoxetine (Strattera) AUC by ~2.68x

  • danger
    Cocaine + Bupropion (Wellbutrin) Contraindicated

    Both affect dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake. Bupropion lowers seizure threshold. Cocaine dramatically increases seizure and cardiac arrest risk.

  • danger
    Contrave (Naltrexone/Bupropion) + Bupropion (Wellbutrin) Stacked effects

    Bupropion (Wellbutrin) and Contrave (Naltrexone/Bupropion) both push the DAT, NET, and nicotinic ACh neuronal in the same direction.

Serum checks 88 modeled interaction pairings for bupropion (wellbutrin) across your whole stack — absorption conflicts, enzyme inhibition, and nutrient depletion included.

Research behind this entry

  1. A sustained-release bupropion for pharmacologic relapse prevention after smoking cessation: a randomized, controlled trial Hays JT et al. · Annals of Internal Medicine, 2001 DOI

    RCT found sustained-release bupropion significantly delayed smoking relapse, with point-prevalence abstinence rates of 55% at 12 months versus 42% for placebo.

  2. Bupropion-SR, sertraline, or venlafaxine-XR after failure of SSRIs for depression (STAR*D) Rush AJ et al. · New England Journal of Medicine, 2006 DOI

    Landmark STAR*D trial found bupropion was as effective as sertraline and venlafaxine as switch therapy after SSRI failure, with the advantage of less sexual dysfunction.

2 published studies referenced in the app, each with a plain-language summary.