Citalopram and fluoxetine affects blood chemistry, hematology and brain serotonin in rats.

Depression is caused as a result of combination of genetic, biochemical, environmental, and psychological factors. Citalopram and fluoxetine are antidepressants which are considered the current standard for depression treatment. There are little or no reports as to whether these antidepressants affect blood chemistry and haematological parameters in humans.The effects of citalopram and fluoxetine on blood chemistry, hematology and brain serotonin in rats were investigated.Forty-five Sprague Dawley male albino rats (140.69 +/- 5.86g) were divided into 3 equal groups. The first group of rats were orally administered 2 ml of 0.25 mg/ml of citalopram, the second group was administered 2 ml of 0.25 mg/ml of fluoxetine and the third group was administered 2 ml of saline (0.89% NaCl) daily for 4 weeks. The body weights and feed intake of rats were recorded every other day throughout the duration of drug administration. Five rats from each group were sacrificed by cervical dislocation after 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of drug administration. Blood was taken intravenously into lithium heparinized tubes and brain excised. Blood chemistry and hematology were determined by auto analyzer, while brain serotonin levels were determined using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Serum levels of creatinine, urea, albumin, protein, glucose and activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine amino transferase (ALT) were determined in rats administered citalopram, fluoxetine and saline. The packed cell volume, white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets of rats administered the respective drugs were determined.There was no significant (P > 0.01) difference in the mean body weight of rats administered fluoxetine, citalopram or saline for 2 weeks. There were no significant differences in the hematological parameters of rats. The results of the study showed that citalopram increase the body weight of rats in the third and fourth week and was reduced in fluoxetine administered rats. The drugs also affected brain serotonin level, lipid profile of rats and increased levels of albumin, glucose and activities of liver enzymes; aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase.Data of the study indicate that oral administration of citalopram and fluoxetine in rats for 4 weeks daily affected blood chemistry and do not affect haematological parameters.