%0 Journal Article
%T Teratogenic Effects of Coadministration of Fluoxetine and Olanzapine on Rat Fetuses
%A Azam Bakhtiarian
%A Nasrin Takzare
%A Mehdi Sheykhi
%A Narges Sistany
%A Farahnaz Jazaeri
%A Mario Giorgi
%A Vahid Nikoui
%J Advances in Pharmacological Sciences
%D 2014
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2014/132034
%X Objective. Depression during pregnancy is a relatively common problem. Since little is known about the teratogenic effects of concomitant administration of fluoxetine and olanzapine during the organogenesis period, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the teratogenic effects of coadministration of fluoxetine and olanzapine on rat fetuses. Method. Forty-two pregnant rats were divided into seven groups, randomly. The first group received 0.5£¿mL of normal saline as the control. The second and third groups received fluoxetine at doses of 9£¿mg/kg and 18£¿mg/kg, respectively. Olanzapine was injected at 3£¿mg/kg and 6£¿mg/kg to the fourth and fifth groups, respectively. The sixth group received 9£¿mg/kg fluoxetine and 3£¿mg/kg olanzapine. Finally, the seventh group was administrated with fluoxetine and olanzapine at 18£¿mg/kg and 6£¿mg/kg, respectively. Drugs were injected intraperitoneally between day eight and day 15 of the pregnancy. On the 17th day of pregnancy, the fetuses were removed and micro-/macroscopically studied. Results. Fetuses of rats receiving high doses of these drugs showed a significant rate of cleft palate development, premature eyelid opening and torsion anomalies, compared to the control group ( ). It is concluded that these drugs can lead to teratogenicity, so their concomitant use during pregnancy should be avoided, or if necessary their doses must be decreased. 1. Introduction One of the most used antidepressant drugs is fluoxetine. This active ingredient belongs to the SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) class. It increases serotonin levels in synaptic clefts and is used for treatment of depression [1]. It is also used for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a prevalent disease of enhanced anxiety that has been diagnosed in around 2% of world population. Estrogen and progesterone imbalance and its influence on cerebrospinal fluid partly explain the incidence of psychological problems including OCD during pregnancy [2, 3]. Researchers have shown that OCD can be triggered during fertility periods like menstruation, pregnancy, or postparturition times. Its rate can be decreased by early diagnosis and appropriate treatment [4]. Maina and colleagues have demonstrated the precipitating effect that pregnancy and parturition can have for OCD which leads to postparturition problems for both mother and baby [5]. Leckman and colleagues found that oxytocin secretion during pregnancy increases intracerebral pressure (ICP) and can also lead to OCD [6]. Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic drug for treating schizophrenia and other
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/aps/2014/132034/