Oral Presentation The Annual Scientific Meeting of the Endocrine Society of Australia and the Society for Reproductive Biology 2014

Paroxetine, a selective serotonin uptake inhibitor and bupropion, a norepinephrine and dopamine uptake inhibitor and agomelatine, a 5HT2C receptor antagonist and melatonergic receptor agonist affect pubertal maturation differently in rats (#110)

Haluk Kelestimur 1 , Ahmet Yardimci 1 , Nazife Ulker 1 , Mete Ozcan 2 , Sinan Canpolat 1 , Yusuf Ozkan 3 , Murad Atmaca 4
  1. Department of Physiology Faculty of Medicine , Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
  2. Department of Biophysics Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
  3. Department of Endocrinology, Firat University Faculty of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey
  4. Department of Psychiatry, Firat University Faculty of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey

Sexual dysfunctions are among the most frequent adverse effects of selective serotonin uptake inhibitors (SSRI) that are the most preferred drugs used in treatment of depression. Dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor antideprassants are less commonly associated with sexual dysfunctions, and also their beneficial effects have been reported in eliminating adverse effects of SSRI. There are a few studies regarding sexual effects of agomelatine, a new antidepressant that has antagonist actions at serotonergic 5HT2C receptors and agonist actions at melatonergic receptors. Side effects of antidepressants that are increasingly used in children are not well known. In the present study, effects of paroxetine (a SSRI type antidepressant) and bupropion (dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor type antidepressant) and agomelatine on pubertal maturation were investigated in rat models. For the experimental studies, male and female Wistar Albino rats were used. Each group consisted of 6 rats. The animals started to receive daily oral paroxetine (0.36 mg/100g), bupropion (17 mg/100g) or agomelatine (1 mg/100g) on post-natal day 21. The control group received only vehicle.  Puberty onset was monitored by examination of vaginal opening and preputial separation in female and male rats, respectively. Paroxetine, bupropion and agomelatine advanced vaginal opening in the female rats compared to the control rats (44,43 and 44 days versus 46 days, respectively). Puberty onset was similar in the paroxetine and bupropion-treated male rats (47 and 48 days) compared to control rats (48 days) whereas agomelatine delayed puberty onset (55 days). Cauda epididymal sperm number, 106/organ were significantly lower in the paroxetine, bupropion and agomelatine-treated groups (34.0±5.73, 56.0±7.62 and 52.7±18.3, respectively) compared to the control group (125.3±4.75). The present findings suggest that antideprassants may affect pubertal maturation differently in rats. 

Acknowledgement: This study was supported by TUBITAK project # 113S193.