THE ROLE OF FLUOXETINE THERAPY IN CHANGING THE PLASMA LEVELS OF 8-ISO-PROSTAGLANDIN F2 (8-ISO-PGF2) IN PATIENTS WITH MAJOR DEPRESSION

Dr. Rajeev Panwar*, Dr. M. Sivakumar

ABSTRACT

Major depression, one of the types of psychiatric disorders, can be described by disruption in mood-adjustments, behavioral activities and associated with low esteem or worthlessness or feeling of no happiness in the activities which were previously interesting and pleasurable, lasting for at least two weeks with intermittent symptom-free episodes. It is found to be comparatively more among females and presents as early as around mid to late 20s. Major depression can be due to genetic, familial, immunological; infectious or noninfectious causes which ultimately culminates in oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is imbalance between oxidative injury and the antioxidant defense mechanisms which can be analyzed by either increased levels of metabolites of oxidative injury or reduced levels of antioxidants. Oxidative stress causes production of reactive oxygen species which results in peroxidation of lipids and 8-iso-PGF2α is one of the products of lipid production. Drug of choice for the treatment of major depression is fluoxetine which decreases the oxidative stress-induced damage and causes subsequent restoration of antioxidant function. Increased levels of plasma 8-iso prostaglandins F 2α (8-iso-PGF 2α) can be assessed by Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method and can be compared in the newly diagnosed drug naïve major depression patients and after eight-week fluoxetine therapy. Very few studies have been done in the past for the estimation of plasma 8-iso-PGF2α levels in major depression patients and none was done to compare the levels before starting and after completion of eight-week fluoxetine therapy. The current study has been done to estimate the oxidative stress by analyzing plasma 8-iso-PGF2α levels in newly diagnosed drug-naive cases and after fluoxetine course for eight-weeks in the same patients and it shows decrease in the levels of plasma 8-iso-PGF2α in major depression patients following eight-week fluoxetine therapy.

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