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Objective: In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of escitalopram, an antidepressant drug of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor group, on lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide (NO) level and superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities in patients with major depressive disorder.
Method: Eighteen patients (11 women, 7 men) diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) according to DSM-IV criteria and eighteen healthy controls (10 women, 8 men) were included in the study. The relevant parameters were measured before and after treatment with 20 mg/day escitalopram for 6 weeks in patients and only once in the controls.
Results: Plasma SOD, CAT, malondialdehyde (MDA) and NO levels were significantly higher before treatment in patients with major depression compared to healthy controls; there was no significant differences in GPx levels. Treatment with 20 mg/day escitalopram for 6 weeks reduced plasma SOD, CAT, MDA and NO levels statistically significantly; it had no effect on GPx levels.
Conclusion: The results provide evidence for the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of MDD and revealed that subchronic treatment with escitalopram significantly decreased the activity of antioxidant enzymes and MDA values. It may be argued that antioxidant enzymes such as SOD, CAT and oxidative stress markers such as MDA and NO are state markers of MDD, because values came close to the results of healthy subjects after treatment.