Effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, fluvoxamine. on food intake in rats

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Pharmacology Vol. 67; no. suppl.1; p. 237
• Main Authors: Fuji, Kazuvuki, Imanishi, Taijchiro, Ichimaru, Yasuyuki, Sawa, Aiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: The Japanese Pharmacological Society 1995
• ISSN: 0021-5198; 1347-3506
• DOI: 10.1016/S0021-5198(19)46913-8

Fluvoxamine maleate (FLVM) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), and its clinical studies for depression and obsessive compulsive disorder are progressing. On the other hand, it has been suggested that SSRIs are probably effective on bulimia nervosa. In the present experiment, therefore, we examined the effect of subchronic administration of FLVM on the food intake of male Wistar rats. The food intake and locomotor activity of the animals were measured by the CAS12MJ (Toyo Sangyo) and an ABsystem (Neuroscience) for 21 days. All animals were administered physiological saline during the first 7 days (adaptation period), then were divided into 4 groups, and received drug or vehicle (FLVM 10, 20, 30 mg/kg, i,p, or saline) at 18：30 for 14 days (test period). The food intake of the animal during 19：00-20：00 was suppressed by the administration of FLVM at the doses of 20 and 30 mg/kg. Neither a tolerance nor a potentiation of the acute effect of FLVM was observed after the subchronic administration. Furthermore, the gains of the body weight in the drug treated groups during test period are almost same as that of the saline control group. From these results, it is suggested that FLVM may be not a drug for weight reduction, but a drug for bulimia nervosa.