title: Are 5-HT3 antagonists effective in obsessive-compulsive disorder? A systematic review of literature.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this literature database search-based review was to critically consider and evaluate the findings of literature focusing on efficacy and safety of 5-HT3 antagonists in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), so as to test whether preclinical data match clinical therapeutic trials.
  
  
  METHODS
  The PubMed database has been searched for papers on 5-HT3 antagonists and OCD in humans and for animal models of OCD and 5-HT3 receptors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the clinically tested 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, ondansetron has been used to treat OCD in five therapeutic studies, whereas granisetron only in one recent trial. Both showed some efficacy in open studies and superiority to placebo in double-blind studies, along with fair safety. No animal OCD model directly implicated 5-HT3 receptors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, results indicate some utility, but the available literature is too scanty to allow for valid conclusions to be drawn. The mismatch between animal models of obsessive-compulsive disorder and clinical data with 5-HT3 antagonists needs more clinical data to ensure that it is not an artefact.
authors: Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs (NeSMOS) Department, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, UOC Psychiatry, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Roma, Italy; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Villa Rosa Suore Ospedaliere of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Viterbo, Italy.
authors: Daniele
authors: D
authors: Serata
authors: Georgios D
authors: GD
authors: Kotzalidis
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Rapinesi
authors: Delfina
authors: D
authors: Janiri
authors: Simone
authors: S
authors: Di Pietro
authors: Gemma
authors: G
authors: Callovini
authors: Daria
authors: D
authors: Piacentino
authors: Carlotta
authors: C
authors: Gasperoni
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Brugnoli
authors: Vittoria Rachele
authors: VR
authors: Ferri
authors: Nicoletta
authors: N
authors: Girardi
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Tatarelli
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Ferracuti
authors: Gloria
authors: G
authors: Angeletti
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Girardi
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Del Casale
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D058831:Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D058831:Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists
keywords: animal; clinical trials as topic; granisetron; models; obsessive-compulsive disorder; ondansetron; serotonin 5-HT3 receptor antagonists