Korean J Anesthesiol.  2002 Feb;42(2):221-227. 10.4097/kjae.2002.42.2.221.

Amitriptyline, Desipramine, and Paroxetine Inhibit Nitric Oxide Production in Primary Schwann Cell Cultures of Rats

• Lim YJ
• Kim HJ
• Park HS
• Kim SH
• Lee SC
• Ham BM
• Kim YC
• Cheong IY

• KMID: 2039809
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2002.42.2.221

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Antidepressants are being used as supplemental therapy in neuropathic and inflammatory pain. The mechanism of their inhibitory effect on experimental animal inflammation is not clear. Studies during the past few years clearly indicate an important role for nitric oxide (NO) in the inflammation and pain-processing system. We evaluated the effects of amitriptyline, desipramine and paroxetine on NO production in primary Schwann cell cultures.
METHODS
Primary cultures of the Schwann cell were prepared from dorsal root ganglia of 1- to 3-day old Spraque-Dawley rats. Schwann cells were cultured in the presence or absence of interferon-gamma (500 ng/ml) plus tumor necrosis factor-alpha (500 ng/ml), amitriptyline, desipramine or paroxetine. Production of NO was determined in the supernatant of the culture media.
RESULTS
Amitriptyline (10ng/ml), desipramine (10ng/ml) and paroxetine (10ng/ml) inhibited NO release by 29.8%, 51.4%, and 66.8%, respectively. No drug had a toxic effect on cultured cells, which was determined by an LDH assay.
CONCLUSIONS
Inhibition of NO production by Schwann cells may be a mechanism by which some antidepressant medications affect inflammatory and neuropathic pain.

Keyword

Amitriptyline; desipramine; nitric oxide; paroxetine; Schwann cells

MeSH Terms

Amitriptyline*
Animals
Antidepressive Agents
Cell Culture Techniques*
Cells, Cultured
Culture Media
Desipramine*
Ganglia, Spinal
Inflammation
Interferon-gamma
Neuralgia
Nitric Oxide*
Paroxetine*
Rats*
Schwann Cells
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Amitriptyline
Antidepressive Agents
Culture Media
Desipramine
Interferon-gamma
Nitric Oxide
Paroxetine
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha