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J Forensic Sci 2019 Feb 7. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

Department of Forensic Sciences, Commonwealth of Virginia, 500 North 7th Street, Richmond, VA.

Gabapentin, a GABA analogue, is a nonopioid prescribed for seizure control and neuralgic pain. Its abuse for recreational purposes has been increasing in recent years as the number of prescriptions also increases. In our series, we review 104 cases of decedents who tested positive for gabapentin in postmortem blood samples and an additional 53 nonfatal cases of motor vehicle drivers suspected of driving under the influence. Read More

PLoS One 2019 6;14(2):e0211077. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

In the current study, we have examined the interaction amongst an antidepressant drug amitriptyline hydrochloride (AMH) and ethane-1, 2-diyl bis(N,N-dimethyl-N-cetylammoniumacetoxy) dichloride (16-E2-16, a green gemini surfactant) through tensiometric and fluorimetric techniques in aqueous/electrolyte/urea solutions. Significant variations are observed in the various evaluated parameters in the present study. Gemini 16-E2-16 has outstanding surface properties along with a much lower cmc value, demonstrating very little toxicity as well as considerable antimicrobial activity. Read More

Drug Des Devel Ther 2019 21;13:387-396. Epub 2019 Jan 21.

Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China,

Purpose: As a novel antidepressant drug, agomelatine has good therapeutic effect on the mood disorder and insomnia in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent studies have shown the neuroprotective function of agomelatine, including anti-oxidative and anti-apoptosis effect. However, it remains unclear whether agomelatine exerts neuroprotection in AD. Read More

Chemosphere 2019 Jan 25;222:175-183. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

Laboratório de Genética Toxicológica, Departamento de Genética e Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, UnB, 70910-900, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil. Electronic address:

Psychiatric pharmaceuticals are one of the most prescribed active substances globally. Bupropion (BPP) is an antidepressant that acts via inhibition of norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake. It has been found in various water matrices, and thus its effects on aquatic organisms must be studied. Read More

Molecules 2019 Jan 30;24(3). Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.

To improve the in vivo antidepressant activity of previously reported serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) dual reuptake inhibitors, three series of arylamidine derivatives were designed and synthesized. The in vitro 5-HT and NE reuptake inhibitory activities of these compounds were evaluated, and compound was identified as the most potent 5-HT (IC = 620 nM) and NE (IC = 10 nM) dual reuptake inhibitor. Compound exhibited potent antidepressant activity in the rat tail suspension test and showed an acceptable safety profile in a preliminary acute toxicity test in mice. Read More

Med Res Rev 2019 Jan 16. Epub 2019 Jan 16.

State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China.

Rhodiola species, belonging to the family Crassulaceae, have long been used as an adaptogen, tonic, antidepressant, and antistress medicine or functional food in Asia and Europe. Due to the valuable application, the growing demand of Rhodiola species has led to a rapid decrease in resource content. This review aims to summarize the integrated research progress of seven mainstream Rhodiola species. Read More

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018 12 19;12:CD013230. Epub 2018 Dec 19.

Centre for Evidence-Based Practice (CEBaP), Belgian Red Cross, Motstraat 42, Mechelen, Belgium, 2800.

Background: Oral poisoning is a major cause of mortality and disability worldwide, with estimates of over 100,000 deaths due to unintentional poisoning each year and an overrepresentation of children below five years of age. Any effective intervention that laypeople can apply to limit or delay uptake or to evacuate, dilute or neutralize the poison before professional help arrives may limit toxicity and save lives.

Objectives: To assess the effects of pre-hospital interventions (alone or in combination) for treating acute oral poisoning, available to and feasible for laypeople before the arrival of professional help. Read More

J Am Med Dir Assoc 2018 Nov 20. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

The Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.

Objective: To examine the prospective relationship between vitamin D status and incident depression in a large cohort of nondepressed community-dwelling older people.

Design: Longitudinal study examining the relationship between vitamin D levels at baseline (wave 1) and incident depression at 2 and 4 years (waves 2 and 3), embedded within the Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging. Participants with depression at wave 1 were excluded. Read More

Chemosphere 2019 Feb 5;217:858-868. Epub 2018 Nov 5.

Centro de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal.

The objective of this study was to identify transformation products (TPs) of citalopram (CIT), an antidepressant drug, in laboratory experiments. Moreover, toxicity predictions and analyzes in wastewater samples were performed. For the formation of TPs, raw water was used for the processes of hydrolysis; photodegradation under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and chlorination. Read More

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2019 Jan 8;26(1):600-616. Epub 2018 Nov 8.

Post-Graduation Program in Conservation of Cerrado Natural Resources - Biological Research Laboratory, Goiano Federal Institute-Urutaí Campus, Urutaí, GO, Brazil.

The increasing consumption of medications by humans has negative effects such as the increased disposal of these compounds in the environment. Little is known about how the disposal of a "drug mix" (DM) in aquatic ecosystems can affect their biota. Thus, we evaluated whether the exposure of Lithobates casteibeianus tadpoles to a DM composed of different medication classes (antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, anxiolytic, analgesic, and antacid drugs)-at environmentally relevant concentrations-may change their oral morphology, trigger behavioral disorders, and have mutagenic effects on erythrocyte cells. Read More

Aquat Toxicol 2018 Dec 30;205:204-212. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

School of Hydraulic and Ecological Engineering, Nanchang Institute of Technology, Nanchang, 330099, China.

Studies on the bioavailability of organic contaminants adsorbed to nanomaterials are increasing. In this study, we investigated the interaction between fluoxetine (FLX) and three multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with different functional groups in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos, focusing on the FLX accumulation, the formation of the metabolite norfluoxetine (NFLX), and the active defence system responses. The accumulation of FLX in zebrafish was intensified by MWCNTs (46-99%), which simultaneously facilitated the formation of the metabolite NFLX by 23-167%. Read More

Environ Res 2019 Feb 26;169:7-25. Epub 2018 Oct 26.

UCIBIO-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal.

Pharmaceuticals, such as the antidepressant venlafaxine (VFX), have been frequently detected in coastal waters and marine biota, and there is a growing body of evidence that these pollutants can be toxic to non-target marine biota, even at low concentrations. Alongside, climate change effects (e.g. Read More

Molecules 2018 Oct 31;23(11). Epub 2018 Oct 31.

School of Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China.

Tiansi Liquid is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used to treat depression; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we examined the effect of Tiansi Liquid in a rat model of hydrocortisone-induced depression using behavioral testing, 16S rRNA high-throughput pyrosequencing and high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics of the tryptophan (TRP)⁻kynurenine (KYN) pathway. Tiansi Liquid significantly improved the sucrose preference and exploratory behavior of the depressive rats. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Oct 30;2018. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.

We report a case of a hospitalised patient who developed probable serotonin toxicity shortly after the initiation of linezolid in whom the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) escitalopram had been recently discontinued. On day 2 of linezolid administration, the patient reported severe anxiety and was observed to have full body jerking and twitching motions without mental status change. Notably, the patient was concomitantly receiving the antidepressant, trazodone and the benzodiazepine, clonazepam possibly affecting the severity and manifestations of serotonin toxicity. Read More

Neurochem Int 2019 Jan 24;122:1-7. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Uimyung Research Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University, 815 Hwarangro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01795, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:

Methoxetamine (MXE) is an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist that is chemically and pharmacologically similar to other dissociative substances, such as ketamine and phencyclidine. There are reports on the misuse of MXE, which sometimes resulted in adverse consequences and death. Studies have also shown that MXE has abuse liability and stimulates dopamine neurotransmission in the mesolimbic reward pathway in the brain. Read More

Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2018 Dec 23;100:45-51. Epub 2018 Oct 23.

School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Yantai University, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005, PR China. Electronic address:

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have developed as novel antidepressants and have been determined to possess higher efficacy and less adverse effects compared to other antidepressants. Our previous studies have showed that LPM570065, a new potent TRI, is relatively nontoxic in acute, subchronic toxicity and genotoxicity evaluations. In the current study, toxicity of LPM570065 was further evaluated on the fertility and early embryonic development in Sprague-Dawley rats. Read More

Support Care Cancer 2018 Oct 23. Epub 2018 Oct 23.

Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.

Purpose: Gastrointestinal mucositis (GIM) is one of the most debilitating side effects of the chemotherapy agent, irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11). The toll-like receptor (TLR) pathway is a key mediator implicated in the pathophysiology underlying GIM. The tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline has been shown to inhibit TLR2 and TLR4 activity in in vitro models. Read More

Eur J Pharmacol 2018 Dec 16;841:113-121. Epub 2018 Oct 16.

Laboratory of Biochemistry, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu 501-1196, Japan. Electronic address:

Sibutramine had been prescribed as an oral anorexiant that reduces dietary intake, but was withdrawn from the market due to frequent occurrence of severe cardiovascular events including hypertension. To elucidate the pathogenic mechanism of hypertension, we here investigated whether sibutramine facilitates damage and contraction of human aortic smooth muscle (HASM) cells or not. Treatment with sibutramine provoked HASM cell apoptosis, which was attributed to production of reactive oxygen species and mitochondria dysfunction. Read More

Pharmacol Rep 2018 Dec 21;70(6):1173-1179. Epub 2018 Jul 21.

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil; National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM, CNPq), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. Electronic address:

Background: The use of antidepressants in combination is common practice following non-response to single antidepressant agents. Nevertheless, the scientific literature lacks preclinical studies regarding the combined administration of antidepressants across multiple behavioral measures including, but not limited to, cognition. Hence, we aimed to determine the effects of paroxetine (PAR), venlafaxine (VEN) and bupropion (BUP) alone or combined (PAR+BUP or VEN+BUP) on spatial and affective memory tasks to advance the knowledge about the combined use of antidepressants in cognition. Read More

Pharmacol Rep 2018 Dec 17;70(6):1168-1172. Epub 2018 May 17.

Chair and Department of Medical Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.

Background: Selenium is an essential element which shows protective properties against diverse harmful factors. Lithium compounds are widely used in medicine, but, in spite of undoubted beneficial effects, treatment with these compounds may lead to severe side effects, including renal, gastrointestinal, neurological, endocrine and metabolic disorders. This study was aimed at evaluating the influence of selenium and/or lithium on lithium, iron, zinc and copper content in rats' erythrocytes as well as estimate the action of additional selenium on lithium exposure effects. Read More

Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 2018 Oct 12. Epub 2018 Oct 12.

Department of Pharmacological & Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas.

Amitriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant and an inhibitor of lysosomal acid sphingomyelinase (ASM). Amitriptyline is well known for its cardiovascular side effects and toxicity in psychiatric patients. However, the mechanisms underlying the cardiovascular side effects of amitriptyline remain largely undefined. Read More

Toxicol Res (Camb) 2018 Sep 6;7(5):817-825. Epub 2018 Apr 6.

Anadolu University , Faculty of Pharmacy , Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology , 26470 Eskisehir , Turkey . Email:

Sertraline is an antidepressant that is frequently prescribed to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and anxiety. This drug had a safe cardiotoxicity profile, until the reporting of cases of sertraline-associated cardiotoxicities in the early 2000s. Since then, there have been conflicting results on the cardiotoxicity of this drug. Read More

Sci Total Environ 2019 Feb 1;650(Pt 2):2731-2741. Epub 2018 Oct 1.

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore. Electronic address:

While it is well known that fluoxetine is more toxic to aquatic organisms at high pH, the metabolic dysregulations related to observed pH-dependent effects are still poorly understood. In the present study, we utilized a gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) based metabolomics approach to assess metabolomic profile changes in developing zebrafish embryos following exposure (2 hpf-96 hpf) to different concentrations of fluoxetine at three environmentally relevant pH values (7.0, 8. Read More

Acta Neurobiol Exp (Wars) 2018 ;78(3):187-197

Gazi University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Ankara,Turkey.

Given that foods and nutrients have been shown to influence the pharmacokinetics of drugs, drugs may cause changes in the nutritional status of patients and their response to a given drug. Food‑drug interactions are particularly relevant for drugs used to treat neurological and psychological diseases. This review provides an overview of food‑drug interaction in the treatment of neurological and psychological diseases. Read More

Sci Total Environ 2019 Feb 24;650(Pt 2):1771-1778. Epub 2018 Sep 24.

Monash University, School of Biological Sciences, Melbourne 3800, Australia.

Pharmaceutical pollutants are detected in aquatic habitats and wildlife tissues globally. One widespread contaminant of major concern is the antidepressant fluoxetine, which can affect behavioural and physiological processes in non-target species. Despite this, effects of fluoxetine on wildlife behaviour have seldom been investigated across multiple fitness-related contexts, especially at environmentally realistic concentrations. Read More

Biomed Pharmacother 2018 Nov 4;107:1473-1479. Epub 2018 Sep 4.

Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 704, Akure, 340001, Nigeria.

This study sought to compare the effects of quercetin and rutin on some enzymes linked to erectile function as well as antioxidant status in penile tissue of paroxetine - induced erectile dysfunction in rats. Animals were randomly divided into twelve groups: normal control (NC), sildenafil (SD), quercetin (QA) (25 and 50 mg/kg), rutin (RU) (25 and 50 mg/kg), PAR (10 mg/kg); PAR + SD; PAR + QA, PAR + RU (25 and 50 mg/kg). After 14 days' treatment, phosphodiesterase-5' (PDE-5'), arginase, adenosine deaminase (ADA), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) activities as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) and non-protein thiol levels were determined in rat penile tissues. Read More

Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr 2018 09 24;86(9):592-603. Epub 2018 Sep 24.

One reason for the increasing use of new antidepressant drugs is due to a decreased toxicity compared to older agents. Nevertheless, there are still potentially dangerous side effects important to be considered. To improve treatment outcome it is therefore advantageous to obtain a detailed medical history, as well as to give specific information about the mechanisms of action of antidepressants before choosing the appropriate drug. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Sep;97(37):e12220

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Daegu Fatima Hospital, Daegu, Republic of Korea.

Rationale: Venlafaxine is an antidepressant and anxiolytic agent that functions by inhibiting central serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake, and it is a relatively recently introduced drug. In particular, overdose of venlafaxine has been reported to cause severe cardiac toxicity including ventricular tachycardia, prolongation of QT interval, and seizure or severe muscular injury. However, reports describing venlafaxine-induced rhabdomyolysis with neuropathy remain scarce. Read More

Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2019 Jan 6;215:1-8. Epub 2018 Sep 6.

Laboratório de Genética Toxicológica, Departamento de Genética e Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Asa Norte, 70910-900 Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil.

Fluoxetine (FLX) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant widely used in clinics and very often found in environmental samples of urban aquatic ecosystems in concentrations ranging from ng/L to μg/L. Fish populations might be especially susceptible to FLX due to the presence of conserved cellular receptors of serotonin. Neurotoxic effects on fish biota of polluted water bodies may be expected, but there are no sufficient studies in the current literature to elucidate this hypothesis. Read More

J Affect Disord 2019 01 24;242:52-59. Epub 2018 Aug 24.

Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu, China. Electronic address:

Background: Numerous studies indicate that inflammation plays important roles in the development of depression. Astrocytes are crucial regulators of immune response in the central nervous system, and strongly activated by pro-inflammatory cytokines. We hypothesized that inhibition of activated astrocytes contributed to ameliorate depressive-like symptoms. Read More

Oxid Med Cell Longev 2018 29;2018:7196142. Epub 2018 Jul 29.

Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Anadolu University, Eskisehir, Turkey.

Depression and anxiety are recognized as public health problems. Epidemiological studies have shown that depression and anxiety often occur during reproductive ages between 20 and 60 years of age in males. Trazodone is one of the most frequently prescribed drugs in the treatment of depression and anxiety. Read More

Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2018 Aug 20. Epub 2018 Aug 20.

Federal University of Piaui Teresina. Brazil.

Phytol have various pharmacological activities such as antimicrobial, cytotoxic, antitumoral, antimutagenic, anti-atherogenic, antidiabetic, lipid-lowering, antispasmodic, antiepileptic, antinociceptive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, antidepressant and immunoadjuvant. Several studies point to an association of phytol with implications for apoptosis and necrosis at cellular levels in cancer, yet no clear conclusions were drawn. To clarify this, we conducted a meta-analysis of non-clinical studies of phytol and its associations with toxicity and cytotoxicity emphasizing the mechanisms of apoptosis and necrosis induction and its importance in tumor therapy. Read More

Int J Reprod Biomed (Yazd) 2018 Jun;16(6):365-372

Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.

Background: Prescribing antidepressant drugs is becoming common. These drugs are known to affect sexual functions.

Objective: The study is aimed to assess the effects of amitriptyline and venlafaxine on sperm parameters and evaluate Malondialdehyde (MDA) and 1, 1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl values in BALB/ mice spermatozoa. Read More

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2018 Nov 7;163:646-655. Epub 2018 Aug 7.

Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología Acuática, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada, CONICET-UBA, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Chemical pollution from pharmaceuticals is increasingly recognized as a major hazard to the aquatic biota. Among the wide variety of pharmaceuticals, fluoxetine (FLX) is one of the most widely prescribed antidepressants, and therefore, it is frequently identified in the aquatic environment. As FLX is designed to alter human behaviour and many physiological pathways are conserved across vertebrates, this drug may affect the behaviour of fish living in FLX-polluted environments. Read More

Eur J Med Chem 2018 Sep 4;157:198-228. Epub 2018 Aug 4.

Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Univerisity of Eastern Finland (UEF), Finland; Department of Physics and Mathematics, UEF, Finland. Electronic address:

Cannabaceae plants Cannabis sativa L. and Humulus lupulus L. are rich in terpenes - both are typically comprised of terpenes as up to 3-5% of the dry-mass of the female inflorescence. Read More

Int J Nanomedicine 2018 23;13:4319-4331. Epub 2018 Jul 23.

Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China,

Background: Photodynamic therapy is a safe, noninvasive modality for cancer therapy, in which the photosensitizer (PS) is a crucial component. Hypericin (Hy) is a promising PS; however, its clinical application is significantly limited by its poor hydrophilicity.

Materials And Methods: To overcome the clinical application limitation of Hy, a novel strategy is developed here by entrapping Hy into polydopamine (PDA) film formed on the surface of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) through the self-polymerization of dopamine under alkaline condition. Read More

Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2018 Oct 3;98:224-230. Epub 2018 Aug 3.

Pathology Department, Egypt; Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt.

Heavy metal toxicity is a common foodborne problem in Egypt, especially in combination. Molybdenum toxicity has been studied as a model of the heavy metal toxicity. Molybdenum could promote toxicity via oxidative-inflammatory mechanisms. Read More

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018 Aug 3;67(30):815-818. Epub 2018 Aug 3.

Tianeptine (marketed as Coaxil or Stablon) is an atypical tricyclic drug used as an antidepressant in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. In the United States, tianeptine is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for medical use and is an unscheduled pharmaceutical agent* (1). Animal and human studies show that tianeptine is an opioid receptor agonist (2). Read More

Chem Biol Interact 2018 Sep 24;293:28-37. Epub 2018 Jul 24.

Laboratório de Avaliações Farmacológicas e Toxicológicas Aplicadas às Moléculas Bioativas, LaftamBio Pampa, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Itaqui, RS, Brazil.

Sickness behavior is a normal immune response of body to fight infection, accompanied by endocrine and behavioral alterations. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) causes sickness behavior in rodents through the increase of proinflammatory cytokines, generating peripheral inflammation and thus overactivation of kynurenine pathway (KP). In the present study we investigated the effects of dietary hydrogenated vegetable fat (HVF) in sickness behavior induced by LPS in aged mice. Read More

Food Funct 2018 Aug;9(8):4143-4152

Laboratory of Animal Nutritional Physiology and Metabolic Process, Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Engineering Laboratory for Pollution Control and Waste Utilization in Livestock and Poultry Production, Changsha, Hunan 410125, China.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and is strongly associated with intestinal immunity and the microbiome. Tryptophan (Trp) is an inflammatory inhibitor and modulator of the intestinal microflora. We explored the serum profile of amino acids and the effects of diet supplementation with Trp (1. Read More

Prim Care Companion CNS Disord 2018 Jul 19;20(4). Epub 2018 Jul 19.

Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2018 Oct 17;98:129-139. Epub 2018 Jul 17.

School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005, PR China. Electronic address:

In the current study, to support the safety of LPM570065 as a new potent triple reuptake inhibitors (TRIs), LPM570065 was investigated through a single- and 13-week repeated-dose oral toxicity evaluation and mutagenicity assays. In an acute toxicity evaluation, Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were single administration at dose of 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg. The results suggested that two (2/20) and seven (7/20) animals were died in the 1000 and 2000 mg/kg group, respectively. Read More

Behav Sci (Basel) 2018 Jul 17;8(7). Epub 2018 Jul 17.

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.

Side effect profiles of antidepressants are relevant to treatment selection and adherence among patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), but several clinically-relevant characteristics of side effects are poorly understood. We aimed to compare the side effect profiles of escitalopram and duloxetine, including frequencies, time to onset, duration, dose responsiveness, and impact on treatment outcomes. Side effects occurring in 211 treatment-naïve patients with MDD randomized to 12 weeks of treatment with flexibly-dosed escitalopram (10⁻20 mg/day) or duloxetine (30⁻60 mg/day) as part of the Predictors of Remission in Depression to Individual and Combined Treatments (PReDICT) study were evaluated. Read More

Brain Res Bull 2018 Sep 20;142:129-137. Epub 2018 Jul 20.

Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica e Bioprospecção (PPGBBio), Grupo de Pesquisa em Neurobiotecnologia - GPN, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, UFPel, Postal Code 96010-900, Pelotas, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia (PPGB), Grupo de Pesquisa em Neurobiotecnologia- GPN, Biotecnologia/Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil. Electronic address:

Chronic pain and depressive disorders have been estimated to co-occur in up to 80% of patients and traditional antidepressants and analgesics have shown limited clinical efficacy. α- (phenylselanyl) acetophenone (PSAP) is an organic selenium compound which has already demonstrated antioxidant, antidepressant and antinociceptive activities in animal models, without showing acute toxicity. In view of develop more effective treatments to comorbid pain and depression, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the behavioral and biochemical effects of PSAP on reserpine induced pain-depression dyad model in mice as well to analyze the interaction of PSAP with specific targets by molecular docking analysis. Read More

Eur J Med Chem 2018 Aug 10;156:381-393. Epub 2018 Jul 10.

State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming, 650201, PR China. Electronic address:

Depression is associated with high mortality and morbidity rates worldwide. By our random screening, it was first revealed that 23 magnolol derivatives were synthesized followed by in vitro and in vivo evaluation of their antidepressive potential. Compound 7c was found to be the most promising compound, with EC values of 396. Read More

Am J Case Rep 2018 Jul 16;19:833-835. Epub 2018 Jul 16.

Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.

BACKGROUND Serotonin syndrome is a life-threatening condition that can lead to neurologic complications and is associated with the use of serotonergic medications. As the use of antidepressant medications has increased, the incidence of perioperative serotonin syndrome has transitioned from a rare diagnosis to one that should be considered as a differential diagnosis for any patient displaying signs of neuroexcitation. CASE REPORT A 70-year-old man (ASA 2) with a history of vestibular migraines (treated with venlafaxine), gastroesophageal reflux disease, and benign prostatic hyperplasia presented to our institution for photoselective vaporization of the prostate. Read More

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018 Jul 13;67(27):769-770. Epub 2018 Jul 13.

Panminerva Med 2018 Dec 10;60(4):156-160. Epub 2018 Jul 10.

Polyclinic of Bari, Bari, Italy.

Background: Hypericum perforatum is used as medicinal plant for mild to moderately severe depression. Several trials have found hypericum to be more effective than placebo or some antidepressant drugs, but the exact mechanism and most relevant compounds are still unclear. A possible hypothesis is that the antidepressant activity might be due to its multiplicity of bioactive compounds. Read More