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Effects of amitriptyline on serum glutamate and free tryptophan in rats

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Summary

In rats, chronic amitriptyline (14 days, 10 mg/kg, IP) administration resulted in a significant increase in the serum glutamate concentration and concomitant increase in the serum free tryptophan. In contrast, amitriptyline had no effect on the total serum tryptophan or CSF glutamate level. The data confirmed that antidepressant drugs may induce an increase of the serum glutamate concentration in depressive patients.

Zusammenfassung

Die chronische Gabe von Amitriptylin (2 Wochen, 10 mg/ kg, i.p.) führte zu einer signifikanten Zunahme von Glutamat und freiem Tryptophan im Serum von Ratten. Dagegen hatte Amitriptylin eine Wirkung weder auf das Gesamttryptophan im Serum noch auf den Glutamatgehalt des Liquors. Diese Ergebnisse bestätigen die Hypothese, daß Antidepressiva für die Zunahme des Serumglutamats bei Depressiven verantwortlich sind.

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Kim, J.S., Schmid-Burgk, W., Claus, D. et al. Effects of amitriptyline on serum glutamate and free tryptophan in rats. Arch Psychiatr Nervenkr 232, 391–394 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345595

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345595

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