This is health education, not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medication without speaking to a qualified healthcare professional first.
Antidepressants
5 medicinesMedicines that lift mood and ease anxiety over time, used for depression and related conditions.
SSRI
Sertraline
Zoloft · Lustral · Serta
First-line antidepressant for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and OCD. One of the most widely prescribed psychiatric medicines in Kenya.
SSRI
Fluoxetine
Prozac · Fluox · Floxet
The first SSRI. Widely used for depression, OCD, and bulimia. Long half-life reduces discontinuation problems.
SSRI
Escitalopram
Lexapro · Cipralex · Escital
Consistently ranked among the most effective and best-tolerated antidepressants for depression and anxiety.
Tricyclic
Amitriptyline
Elavil · Tryptanol · Saroten
Dual-purpose medicine for depression, neuropathic pain, and migraine prevention. Available from health centre level.
Tricyclic
Clomipramine
Anafranil · Clopram · Clofranil
The most studied pharmacological treatment for OCD, and also effective for depression and panic disorder.
Antipsychotics
9 medicinesMedicines that calm psychosis and help steady mood across several conditions.
First-Generation
Haloperidol
Haldol · Serenace · Haloper
Potent first-generation antipsychotic. Backbone of acute psychosis management in Kenya. Available from Level 3.
First-Generation
Chlorpromazine
Largactil · Thorazine · CPZ
The world's first antipsychotic. Still essential for acute psychosis and agitation. Available from Level 3.
First-Generation
Trifluoperazine
Stelazine · Eskazine
A first-generation antipsychotic for schizophrenia and, at low doses, for short-term anxiety. Older phenothiazine still in use.
Second-Generation
Risperidone
Risperdal · Risnia · Sizodon
Most widely used second-generation antipsychotic in Kenya. Fewer movement side effects than first-generation agents.
Second-Generation
Olanzapine
Zyprexa · Olanza · Oleanz
Highly effective for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Important metabolic monitoring requirements.
Treatment-Resistant
Clozapine
Clozaril · Clopine · Fazaclo
Most effective antipsychotic for treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Mandatory blood tests are a condition of dispensing.
Second-Generation
Quetiapine
Seroquel · Quetilet · Qutipin
Effective across all phases of bipolar disorder, and one of few medicines that treats both mania and bipolar depression.
First-Gen Depot
Fluphenazine
Modecate · Prolixin · Anatensol
Long-acting injection for schizophrenia maintenance, replacing daily tablets with a scheduled injection every two to four weeks.
Third-Generation
Aripiprazole
Abilify · Arip · Arize
Unique dopamine-stabilising mechanism. Least weight gain and metabolic effects of any atypical antipsychotic.
Mood Stabilisers
4 medicinesMedicines that smooth out the highs and lows of mood, mainly in bipolar disorder.
Mood Stabiliser
Lithium Carbonate
Priadel · Camcolit · Litarex
Gold standard for bipolar disorder. 70 years of evidence. Strongest anti-suicidal data of any psychiatric medicine.
Mood Stabiliser / AED
Sodium Valproate
Epilim · Depakine · Valparin
Effective for bipolar disorder and epilepsy. Critical teratogenicity warning requires strict reproductive precautions.
Mood Stabiliser / AED
Carbamazepine
Tegretol · Carbatrol · Carbalex
Anticonvulsant and mood stabiliser. Critical interaction warning. Significantly reduces ARV and contraceptive pill effectiveness.
Mood Stabiliser / AED
Lamotrigine
Lamictal · Epitec · Lamdra
Best mood stabiliser for preventing bipolar depression. No weight gain. Slow titration is non-negotiable.
Anticonvulsants & Hypnotics
2 medicinesMedicines used for seizures and sleep, some of which also steady mood.
Barbiturate Anticonvulsant
Phenobarbitone
Luminal · Phenobarb · Gardenal
One of the oldest anticonvulsants in the world, available from dispensary level. The most affordable epilepsy medicine in Kenya.
Benzodiazepine Hypnotic
Nitrazepam
Mogadon · Alodorm · Nitravet
Benzodiazepine hypnotic for severe short-term insomnia and certain childhood epilepsy syndromes. Short-term use only.
Benzodiazepines & Anxiolytics
3 medicinesFast-acting medicines for severe anxiety, used short-term and with care.
Benzodiazepine
Diazepam
Valium · Diazep · Stesolid
Versatile controlled medicine for anxiety, seizures, and alcohol withdrawal. Short-term use only. Maximum two to four weeks for anxiety.
Benzodiazepine
Lorazepam
Ativan · Loraz · Temesta
Preferred benzodiazepine for acute psychiatric emergencies, with reliable IM absorption and no active metabolites.
Benzodiazepine
Clonazepam
Rivotril · Klonopin · Clonotril
Long-acting benzodiazepine for epilepsy and panic disorder. Effective and widely available, with standard benzodiazepine dependence risks.
Adjunct Medicines
2 medicinesAdd-on medicines that support a main treatment or ease specific symptoms.
Anticholinergic / Anti-EPS
Biperiden
Akineton
Routinely co-prescribed with haloperidol and chlorpromazine to manage antipsychotic-induced movement side effects.
Anticholinergic / Anti-EPS
Procyclidine
Kemadrin · Arpicolin
Alternative to biperiden for managing antipsychotic-induced movement side effects where biperiden is not the available option.
Substance Use Disorder Medicines
4 medicinesMedicines that support recovery from alcohol, opioid, and other dependencies.
MAT: Full Agonist
Methadone
Physeptone · Dolophine
First-line treatment for opioid use disorder. Reduces overdose deaths, HIV transmission, and supports recovery through structured MAT programmes.
MAT: Partial Agonist
Buprenorphine / Naloxone
Suboxone · Subutex · Buvidal
Safer alternative to methadone for opioid use disorder. The ceiling effect reduces overdose risk, with flexibility for take-home dosing.
Opioid Antagonist
Naltrexone
Revia · Antaxone · Vivitrol
Opioid blocker for relapse prevention in opioid and alcohol use disorder. Patient must be fully detoxified before starting.
Alcohol Deterrent
Disulfiram
Antabuse · Antabus · Esperal
Makes drinking alcohol severely unpleasant, used as a deterrent in alcohol use disorder for fully motivated, abstinent patients.
ADHD & Neurodevelopmental
1 medicineMedicines that improve focus and attention in ADHD and related conditions.
Dementia Medicines
1 medicineMedicines that can ease symptoms and slow decline in dementia.