Trazodone treatment increases plasma prolactin concentrations in depressed patients.
m-Chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP), which is a metabolite of trazodone, is a serotonin agonist. To examine for the possibility that m-CPP is involved in biochemical effects during treatment with the parent compound, prolactin response to trazodone treatment (150 mg at bedtime for 3 weeks) was studied in 12 depressed patients. The means +/- S.D. of plasma prolactin concentrations before treatment, 12 h, and 1, 2 and 3 weeks after initiation of treatment were 9.1 +/- 5.6, 14.7 +/- 9.1, 15.3 +/- 8.5, 13.2 +/- 7.0 and 13.0 +/- 7.0 ng/ml, respectively. The mean prolactin concentrations at 12 h (p < 0.01), 1 week (p < 0.001) and 2 weeks (p < 0.05) were significantly higher than that before treatment. The present study thus shows that trazodone treatment increases prolactin concentrations, suggesting that m-CPP is involved in biochemical effects during treatment with the parent compound.
Otani
K
K
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Hirosaki University Hospital, Japan.
Yasui
N
N
Kaneko
S
S
Ishida
M
M
Ohkubo
T
T
Osanai
T
T
Sugawara
K
K
Fukushima
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000378:metabolism; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D014196:Trazodone / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D010879:Piperazines; D011388:Prolactin; C015068:1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine; D014196:Trazodone