A new study has revealed that fluoxetine, commonly sold anti-depressant as Prozac, not only helps fight bacterial infections but also protects organs from the collateral damage of severe infection in a mouse model of sepsis.
The study conducted by a team of scientists from Salk Institute analysed the effects of the anti-depressant medicine that has been safely prescribed for over 30 years.
According to the study, the doctors have long struggled to treat sepsis effectively. The findings of the study were published in the Science Advances journal recently.
“When treating an infection, the optimal treatment strategy would be one that kills the bacteria or virus while also protecting our tissues and organs,” says Professor Janelle Ayres, holder of the Salk Institute Legacy Chair and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, in a statement. “Most medications we have in our toolbox kill pathogens, but we were thrilled to find that fluoxetine can protect tissues and organs, too. It’s essentially playing offense and defense, which is ideal, and especially exciting to see in a drug that we already know is safe to use in humans.”
The researchers maintain that these drugs might help enhance global preparedness for future pandemics. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body’s immune system overreacts to an infection. This condition can immediately become out of control damaging vital organs and often leading to death.
According to a report by Study Finds, the research team, led by Robert Gallant, a former graduate student researcher in Ayres’ lab, found that mice treated with fluoxetine before developing sepsis had much better survival rates than untreated mice.
“Eight hours after infection, treated mice showed lower bacterial levels, indicating the drug helped control the infection directly. But what really caught the scientists’ attention was how the drug provided additional protection beyond just fighting bacteria,” the study stated.
The scientists found that fluoxetine boosted levels of an anti-inflammatory molecule called IL-10, which prevented dangerous accumulations of fatty substances in the blood, a condition called hypertriglyceridemia.
“That was really unexpected, but also really exciting,” says study first author Robert Gallant, a former graduate student researcher in Ayres’ lab. “Knowing fluoxetine can regulate the immune response, protect the body from infection, and have an antimicrobial effect—all entirely independent from circulating serotonin—is a huge step toward developing new solutions for life-threatening infections and illnesses. It also really goes to show how much more there is to learn about SSRIs.”
The researchers maintain that there’s still much work to be done before fluoxetine could be used to treat sepsis in humans. Till now the study only looked at mice, and the strongest benefits appeared when the drug was given before infection which is unlikely in real-world case.