Tag: citalopram

Serotonergic descending inhibition in chronic pain: design, preliminary results and early cessation of a randomized controlled trial

Abstract:

AIM: We examined whether activation of serotonergic descending pathways improves pain inhibition during exercise in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and comorbid fibromyalgia (FM) in comparison with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and sedentary, healthy controls in a double-blind randomized controlled trial with cross-over design.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three female CFS/FM patients, one female RA patient and two healthy women were randomly allocated to the experimental group (2 ml of citalopram intravenously) or the placebo group (2 ml of 0.9% NaCl intravenously). Participants performed a submaximal exercise protocol, preceded and followed by an assessment of endogenous pain inhibition. Seven days later, groups were crossed over.

RESULTS: Significant side-effects were observed in all, but one participant immediately after intravenous administration of citalopram. One CFS/FM patient withdrew because of severe post-exertional malaise.

CONCLUSION: It was decided that proceeding with the study would be unethical. No conclusion could be made regarding pain inhibition during exercise in CFS/FM compared to RA and controls.

 

Source: Meeus M, Ickmans K, De Clerck LS, Moorkens G, Hans G, Grosemans S, Nijs J. Serotonergic descending inhibition in chronic pain: design, preliminary results and early cessation of a randomized controlled trial. In Vivo. 2011 Nov-Dec;25(6):1019-25. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22021700

 

Nitric oxide modulation in protective role of antidepressants against chronic fatigue syndrome in mice

Abstract:

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to elucidate the possible nitric oxide (NO) mechanism in the protective effect of antidepressants using mice model of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male albino laca mice were forced to swim for each 6 min session for 7 days and immobility period was measured on every alternate day (1(st), 3(rd), 5(th), 7(th)). After 7 days various behavioral tests (locomotor, mirror chamber, and plus maze tests for anxiety) were performed and biochemical estimations (lipid peroxidation, nitrite levels, GSH (reduced glutathione), and catalase activity) in mice brain were performed. Animals were pretreated with citalopram (5 and 10 mg/kg) and imipramine (10 and 20 mg/kg) daily for 7 days.

RESULTS: The present study showed that continued forced swimming for 7 days caused chronic fatigue-induced anxiety-like behavior as assessed in mirror chamber, plus maze tests, and impairment in locomotor activity followed by oxidative damage (as evidenced by increased lipid peroxidation, nitrite levels, depleted reduced glutathione, and catalase activity) in animals. Seven days pretreatment with citalopram (5 and 10 mg/kg) and imipramine (10 and 20 mg/kg) significantly improved behavioral and biochemical alterations. Further, L-nitro-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME,5 mg/kg) and methylene blue (MB, 10 mg/kg) pretreatment with citalopram (5 mg/kg) or imipramine (10 mg/kg) potentiated their protective effect. However, l-arginine (100 mg/kg) pretreatment with citalopram (5 mg/kg) or imipramine (10 mg/kg) reversed their protective effect as compared with their effect per se (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that protective effect of citalopram and imipramine might be due to its NO modulation against chronic fatigue induced behavioral and biochemical alterations.

 

Source: Kumar A, Garg R, Gaur V, Kumar P. Nitric oxide modulation in protective role of antidepressants against chronic fatigue syndrome in mice. Indian J Pharmacol. 2011 May;43(3):324-9. Doi: 10.4103/0253-7613.81506. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3113388/ (Full article)