Serotonergic anti-depressants and ethanol withdrawal syndrome: a review.

Aim: To review laboratory findings on the effects of anti-depressant agents that interact with the serotonergic system on signs of ethanol withdrawal syndrome in rats.

Method: Adult Wistar rats received a modified liquid diet to produce ethanol dependence. Signs of ethanol withdrawal, locomotor hyperactivity, stereotyped behaviour, tremor, wet dog shakes, agitation, and audiogenic seizures, were evaluated for the first 6 h of ethanol withdrawal. The effects of the anti-depressants fluoxetine, venlafaxine, escitalopram, tianeptine, and extract of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) (HPE) were examined.

Results: Some beneficial effects of fluoxetine, tianeptine, HPE, escitalopram and venlafaxine on ethanol withdrawal signs were observed, ranked as follows: fluoxetine = tianeptine > HPE > escitalopram > venlafaxine.

Conclusions: Tianeptine and fluoxetine seem to be potent pharmacologically active agents on ethanol withdrawal syndrome in rats. Thus, these anti-depressants may be useful in treatment of ethanol withdrawal syndrome in patients with alcoholism. In addition to serotonergic effects, interactions with nitrergic, glutamatergic, and adenosinergic systems may also provide a significant contribution to the beneficial effects of these drugs on ethanol withdrawal syndrome.