title: Preclinical toxicological evaluation of sertraline hydrochloride.
abstract: The toxicity profile of the antidepressant drug sertraline was determined in a series of preclinical studies in mice, rats, rabbits and dogs. Acute, subchronic, reproductive, chronic and carcinogenicity studies were conducted by the oral route. The highest doses tested in these studies were the maximum tolerated doses based on clinical signs, decreased food consumption, body weight effects, organ weight changes or clinical/anatomical pathology findings. Genetic toxicity studies were also performed. The liver was identified as a target organ in the mouse, rat and dog. The observed liver findings were consistent with hepatic xenobiotic-metabolizing enzyme induction and included hepatomegaly, hepatocellular hypertrophy, slightly increased serum transaminase activity and proliferation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Hepatocellular fatty change, a minimal toxic effect, was seen in mice and rats. There was no teratogenicity in studies conducted at maternally toxic doses in rats and rabbits. Decreased neonatal survival and growth observed in these studies have been previously reported in reproduction studies with other serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Sertraline was not genotoxic in an extensive battery of tests. Carcinogenicity tests were negative in rats, while benign liver tumors were slightly increased in drugtreated male mice. Liver tumors were considered secondary to the enzyme inducing potential of sertraline and not indicative of human risk.
authors.affiliation: Pfizer Central Research, Groton, CT 06340, USA.
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Klowe
mesh_terms: D015057:1-Naphthylamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D015197:Carcinogenicity Tests; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D004285:Dogs; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D020280:Sertraline; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D015057:1-Naphthylamine; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D020280:Sertraline