Alcohol and Alcoholism Advance Access published online on October 12, 2007
Alcohol and Alcoholism, doi:10.1093/alcalc/agm145
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Serotonergic anti-depressants and ethanol withdrawal syndrome: a review
Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Department of Medical Pharmacology, Psychopharmacology Research Unit, Etlik 06018 Ankara, Turkey
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed at: Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Pharmacology, Psychopharmacology Research Unit, Etlik 06018 Ankara, Turkey. Tel: +312-304 4764; Fax: +312-304 2010; E-mail: tuzbay{at}gata.edu.tr; uzbayt{at}yahoo.com
Received 24 July 2007;
first review notified 24 August 2007; in revised form 3 September 2007;
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Abstract |
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Alcoholism and depression are known to have common neurochemical substrates. The serotonergic system has great importance in both depression and alcoholism-related central mechanisms. The aim of this review is assessing the reports from our laboratory which is involved in the effects of some anti-depressant agents that interact with the serotonergic system's signs of ethanol withdrawal syndrome in rats. Thus, both effectiveness of antidepressants in ethanol withdrawal and the relationship between the drug's effects and the signs have been investigated here on the same animal model. Adult Wistar rats were subjects and a modified liquid diet technique was used in development of ethanol dependence in rats. Fluoxetine, venlafaxine, escitalopram, tianeptine, and extract of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) (HPE) were the drugs tested. Effects of anti-depressants on the signs of ethanol withdrawal such as locomotor hyperactivity, stereotyped behaviour, tremor, wet dog shakes, agitation, and audiogenic seizures were evaluated for the first 6 h of ethanol withdrawal. Some beneficial effects of fluoxetine, tianeptine, HPE, escitalopram and venlafaxine on ethanol withdrawal signs were observed. Effectiveness ranking of the used anti-depressants was as follows: fluoxetine = tianeptine > HPE > escitalopram > venlafaxine. Our results suggest that tianeptine and fluoxetine seem to be potent and pharmacologically active agents on ethanol withdrawal syndrome in rats. Thus, these anti-depressants may be useful in treatment of ethanol withdrawal syndrome in patients with alcoholism. In addition to serotonergic effects, interactions with nitrergic, glutamatergic, and adenosinergic systems may also provide a significant contribution to the beneficial effects of these drugs on ethanol withdrawal syndrome.
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