Side effects of drugs studied on ant models: a mini review

Abstract

Using ants as models, we studied until now the side effects of 47 products used by humans and, over these studies we published five summaries of our main findings. After that, we studied the side effects of six other drugs used by humans, and we here summarize these lastly obtained results. These six other drugs were dextromethorphan, amitriptylin, escitalopram, fluvoxamine, iverectin, and indapamide. For each of them, we found side effects similar to those reported for humans, but we also observed side effects not yet mentioned for humans. They concerned among others the locomotion, the activity, the sensory perception, the social relationships and the learning. Practitioners and pharmacists should take cognizance of our works for more adequately and safely used the six drugs we examined. Our six works are published and thus available, but they can also be provided by the author(s). All over our studies, ants appeared to be excellent biological models; the experiments could be made easily, rapidly and at lost cost, while providing statistically significant results.