Adenosine deaminase, nitric oxide, superoxide dismutase, and xanthine oxidase in patients with major depression: impact of antidepressant treatment.
BACKGROUND
There has been much evidence in recent years that free oxygen radicals and nitric oxide (NO) may play an important role in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether NO, xanthine oxidase (XO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels are associated with major depression (MD) and to evaluate the impact of antidepressant treatments on NO, SOD, ADA and XO levels in MD.


METHODS
Thirty-six patients who were diagnosed as MD according to DSM-IV criteria and 20 healthy controls were included. The serum levels of NO, XO, SOD, and ADA were measured by spectrophotometric methods both in patients and controls. Patients were treated with antidepressant drugs for 8 weeks. All patients were assessed by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) both before and after antidepressant treatment.


RESULTS
ADA and XO levels of the patients were significantly higher than the controls. SOD level of the patients was significantly lower than the controls. Although NO levels of the patients were higher than the controls, the difference was not statistically significant. There was no correlation between HDRS and the parameters studied (SOD, ADA, XO, and NO) of the patients. After 8 weeks of antidepressant treatment, ADA and SOD activities were increased, whereas NO and, XO levels decreased significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
ADA, XO, and SOD activity may have a pathophysiological role in MD and may predict prognosis of MD. Activity of these enzymes may be used to monitor effects of the antidepressant treatment.
Herken
Hasan
H
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey. drhasanherken@yahoo.com
Gurel
Ahmet
A
Selek
Salih
S
Armutcu
Ferah
F
Ozen
Murat Eren
ME
Bulut
Mahmut
M
Kap
Ozlem
O
Yumru
Mehmet
M
Savas
Haluk Asuman
HA
Akyol
Omer
O
D000243:Adenosine Deaminase / Q000032:analysis*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis*; D011379:Prognosis; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000032:analysis*; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase / Q000032:analysis*
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase; D000243:Adenosine Deaminase