Desipramine and fluoxetine antagonized 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine-induced lesion on rat hippocampal and cortical neurons.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the protective effect of desipramine (Des) and fluoxetine (Flu) on the neurons against the lesion induced by a selective serotonergic neurotoxin in vitro.


METHODS
The 10-day cultured primary neurons of hippocampus and cortex of rat was exposed to 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) to determine the optimal lesion concentration and duration. Before exposing to 5,7-DHT, Des and Flu was added to the medium for 30 min to observe the protective effects.


RESULTS
The optimal concentration and duration for 5,7-DHT was 600 micromol.L-1 and 4 h, respectively. Both Des and Flu showed a protective effect in the dose range of 0.8 micromol.L-1 to 10 micromol.L-1 and 0.04 micromol.L-1 to 0.6 micromol.L-1, respectively, when the neurons were injured by 5,7-DHT 600 micromol.L-1 for 4 h. Flu showed a higher efficacy than Des. Both exhibited a more powerful protective effect on the hippocampal neuron than on the cortical neuron.


CONCLUSIONS
The antidepressant effect of Des and Flu was attributed to their protective effect on the injured serotonergic neuron of the hippocampus and the cortex.
Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
F Q
FQ
Zhang
Z P
ZP
Luo
Z H
ZH
Gong
D015116:5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology*; D003891:Desipramine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D005473:Fluoxetine; D015116:5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine; D003891:Desipramine