Medically reviewed by Bandela Mgoqi (B.Pharm, M.Pharm, MPS). Last updated on September 17, 2026.
TRINTOGEN contains the active substance vortioxetine. It belongs to a group of medicines called antidepressants.
TRINTOGEN is used to treat major depressive episodes in adults.
TRINTOGEN has been shown to reduce the broad range of depressive symptoms, including sadness, inner tension (feeling anxious), sleep disturbances (reduced sleep), reduced appetite, difficulty in concentrating, feelings of worthlessness, loss of interest in favourite activities, feeling of being slowed down.
Do not take TRINTOGEN:
Take special care with TRINTOGEN:
Taking these medicines together with TRINTOGEN may increase the risk of serotonin syndrome. This syndrome may be associated with hallucinations, involuntary twitching, accelerated heartbeat, high blood pressure, fever, nausea and diarrhoea.
If you are depressed and/or have anxiety disorders you can sometimes have thoughts of harming or killing yourself. These may be increased when first starting antidepressants, since these medicines all take time to work, usually about two weeks but sometimes longer.
You may be more likely to think like this if you:
Information from clinical trials has shown an increased risk of suicidal behaviour in adults aged less than 25 years with psychiatric conditions who were treated with an antidepressant.
If you have thoughts of harming or killing yourself at any time, contact your doctor or go to a hospital straight away. You may find it helpful to tell a relative or close friend that you are depressed or have an anxiety disorder, and ask them to read this leaflet. You might ask them to tell you if they think your depression or anxiety is getting worse, or if they are worried about changes in your behaviour.
TRINTOGEN is not recommended in children and adolescents under 18 years due to lack of information for this age group.
Always tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicine. (This includes all complementary or traditional medicines.)
Tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:
Medicines that increase the risk of fits:
TRINTOGEN can be taken with food and drink. Combining TRINTOGEN with alcohol is not advisable.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, please consult your doctor, pharmacist or other health care provider for advice before taking TRINTOGEN.
TRINTOGEN should not be used during pregnancy unless the doctor says it is absolutely necessary. If you take medicine to treat depression including TRINTOGEN during the last 3 months of your pregnancy you should be aware that the following effects may be seen in your newborn baby: trouble with breathing, bluish skin, fits, body temperature changes, feeding difficulties, vomiting, low blood sugar, stiff or floppy muscles, vivid reflexes, tremor, jitteriness, irritability, lethargy, constant crying, sleepiness and sleeping difficulties.
TRINTOGEN may increase the risk of a serious condition in babies, called persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), making the baby breathe faster and appear bluish. These symptoms usually begin during the first 24 hours after the baby is born. Contact your doctor immediately if your newborn baby has any of these symptoms.
It is expected that the ingredients of TRINTOGEN will pass into breast milk. TRINTOGEN is not to be used during breastfeeding. Your doctor will make a decision on whether you should stop breastfeeding, or stop using TRINTOGEN taking into account the benefit of breastfeeding for your child, and the benefit of therapy for you.
TRINTOGEN has no or negligible influence on the ability to drive and use machines. However, as adverse reactions such as dizziness have been reported, caution is advised during such activities when beginning TRINTOGEN treatment or changing the dose. It is not always possible to predict to what extent TRINTOGEN may interfere with the daily activities of a patient. Patients should ensure that they do not engage in the above activities until they are aware of the measure to which TRINTOGEN affects them.
Do not share medicines prescribed for you with any other person.
Always take TRINTOGEN exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
The usual dose is 10 mg taken as one daily dose in adults less than 65 years of age. The dose may be increased by your doctor to a maximum of 20 mg vortioxetine per day or lowered to a minimum of 5 mg vortioxetine per day depending on your response to treatment.
For elderly people 65 years of age or older the starting dose is 5 mg vortioxetine taken once daily.
Take one tablet with a glass of water. The tablet can be taken with or without food.
Your doctor will tell you how long your treatment with TRINTOGEN will last. Continue to take TRINTOGEN even if it takes some time before you feel any improvement in your condition. Treatment should be continued for at least 6 months after you feel well again.
If you have the impression that the effect of TRINTOGEN is too strong or too weak, tell your doctor or pharmacist.
In the event of overdosage, consult your doctor or pharmacist. If neither is available, contact the nearest hospital or poison centre. Overdose signs could be dizziness, nausea, diarrhoea, stomach discomfort, itching of the whole body, sleepiness and flushing. Following intake of dosages several times higher than the prescribed dose, fits (seizures) and a rare condition called serotonin syndrome have been reported.
Do not take a double dose to make up for forgotten individual doses.
Do not stop taking TRINTOGEN without talking with your doctor.
TRINTOGEN can have side effects. Not all side effects reported for TRINTOGEN are included in this leaflet. Should your general health worsen or if you experience any untoward effects while taking TRINTOGEN, please consult health care provider for advice.
If any of the following happens, stop taking TRINTOGEN and tell your doctor immediately or go to the casualty department at your nearest hospital:
These are all very serious side effects. If you have them, you may have had a serious reaction to TRINTOGEN. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.
In general, the observed side effects were mild to moderate and occurred within the first two weeks of treatment. The reactions were usually temporary and did not lead to cessation of therapy.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following:
If you notice any side effects not mentioned in this leaflet, please inform your doctor or pharmacist.
If you get side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. You can also report side effects to SAHPRA via the 6.04 Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Form, found online under SAHPRA’s publications: https://www.sahpra.org.za/Publications/Index/8. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of TRINTOGEN.
Store all medicines out of reach of children.
Store at or below 25 °C.
Do not remove the blister from the carton until required for use.
Return all unused medicine to your pharmacist.
Do not dispose of unused medicine in drains or sewerage systems (e.g. toilets).
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