The present study investigated the effects of venlafaxine, an antidepressant drug with immunoregulatory properties on the inflammatory response and bone loss associated with experimental periodontal disease (EPD).Materials and
Methods: Wistar rats were subjected to a ligature placement around the second upper left molar. The treated groups received orally venlafaxine (10 or 50 mg/kg) one hour before the experimental periodontal disease induction and daily for 10 days.
Vehicle-treated experimental periodontal disease and a sham-operated (SO) controls were included. Bone loss was analyzed morphometrically and histopathological analysis was based on cell influx, alveolar bone, and cementum integrity.
Lipid peroxidation quantification and immunohistochemistry to TNF-alpha and iNOS were performed.
Results: Experimental periodontal disease rats showed an intense bone loss compared to SO ones (SO= 1.61 +/- 1.36; EPD= 4.47 +/- 1.98mm, p<0.001) and evidenced increased cellular infiltration and immunoreactivity for TNF-alpha and iNOS. Venlafaxine treatment while at low dose (10 mg/kg) afforded no significant protection against bone loss (3.25 +/- 1.26mm), a high dose (50 mg/kg) caused significantly enhanced bone loss (6.81 +/- 3.31mm, p<0.05).
Venlafaxine effectively decreased the lipid peroxidation but showed no significant change in TNF-alpha or iNOS immunoreactivity.
Conclusion: The increased bone loss associated with high dose venlafaxine may possibly be a result of synaptic inhibition of serotonin uptake.
Author: Rosimary CarvalhoCarolina de SouzaJulliana NevesSergio Holanda-PintoLivia PintoGerly BritoGeanne de Andrade
Credits/Source: Journal of Negative Results in BioMedicine 2010, 9:3