Chronically administered fluoxetine enhances the anticonvulsant activity of conventional antiepileptic drugs in the mouse maximal electroshock model

Effect of acute and chronic treatment with milnacipran potentiates the anticonvulsant activity of conventional antiepileptic drugs in the maximal electroshock-induced seizures in mice

“…This phenomenon is difficult to explain; however, it is not limited to MLN. Chronically administered fluoxetine did not influence the electroconvulsive threshold (Borowicz et al 2007b). Moreover, chronic treatment with mianserin even decreased the threshold (Borowicz et al 2007a).…”

“…In experimental conditions, anticonvulsant effects of acute fluoxetine were reported in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced clonic convulsions in mice (Ugale et al 2004). Fluoxetine (Borowicz et al 2006) and mianserin (Borowicz et al 2007a) applied only once inhibited seizures in the electroconvulsive threshold test. Finally, one injection of fluoxetine, escitalopram, and venlafaxine attenuated audiogenic seizures in the course of ethanol withdrawal syndrome in rats (Uzbay 2008).…”

“…In the same model, acute fluoxetine potentiated the action of VPA, CBZ, PB, and PHT. However, it should be underlined that such interactions with at least with PB and CBZ resulted from pharmacokinetics (Borowicz et al 2006). Similarly, chronic fluoxetine increased efficacy of VPA, CBZ, and PHT, yet in all cases, the antidepressant increased the brain concentration of conventional antiepileptic drugs (Borowicz et al 2007b).…”

“…In contrast, possible anticonvulsant effects of antidepressants can be recorded after their single injections, e.g., acute treatment with imipramine and amitriptyline significantly increased the electroconvulsive threshold in mice (Kleinrok et al 1991). Moreover, most SSRIs administered at therapeutic dose ranges were shown to raise the seizure threshold (Borowicz et al 2006;Salzberg and Vajda 2001). Mianserin, an antidepressant blocking adrenoreceptor and serotonergic receptor, was demonstrated to exert similar effects (Borowicz et al 2007a, b).…”

“…Mianserin, an antidepressant blocking adrenoreceptor and serotonergic receptor, was demonstrated to exert similar effects (Borowicz et al 2007a, b). Moreover, antidepressants from all groups mentioned, given acutely or chronically, enhanced the protective effect of several antiepileptic drugs (AEDs; Borowicz et al 2006Borowicz et al , 2007a.…”