High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Venlafaxine (Effexor, Efexor, Alventa, Argofan, Trevilor) is an arylalkanolamine serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). First introduced by Wyeth in 1993, it is licensed for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), as an anxiolytic, and comorbid indications. In 2007, venlafaxine was the sixth most commonly prescribed antidepressant on the U.S. retail market, with 17.2 million prescriptions. In children and adolescents, venlafaxine (like other anti-depressants) has a potential to increase suicidal thoughts, attempts and events of self-harm.