Influence of antiepileptics on efficacy of antidepressant drugs in forced swimming test.

Antidepressant medications are indicated in a variety of sustained mood disorders, including depression, and in epileptic patients. On the other hand, some antiepileptics are also used in the treatment of affective disorders. Therefore, some interactions may appear between antiepileptics and antidepressant drugs. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of the treatment with antiepileptic drugs on the antidepressants' activity in mice (forced swimming test or assessment of locomotor activity). The animals received intraperitoneally (ip) antiepileptics: phenytoin (PHT) at 6 or 12 mg/kg, valproate (VAL) at 50, 100, 200 or 300 mg/kg, carbamazepine (CBZ) at 4, 6 or 9 mg/kg, vigabatrin (VGB) at 50, 100, 200 or 300 mg/kg or lamotrigine (LTG) at 12.5 or 25 mg/kg, 30, 60 or 90 min before the injection of antidepressants: imipramine (IMI, 20 mg/kg) amitriptyline (AMI, 10 mg/kg), maprotiline (MAP, 10 mg/kg), mianserin (MIA, 15 mg/kg), fluoxetine (FLX, 40 mg/kg) or fluvoxamine (FLV, 20 mg/kg). It was shown that the acute administration of antidepressant drugs significantly reduced the immobility time in forced swimming test in mice. Antiepileptics, given in a single dose, caused did not change the behavior of mice in this test, however, they abolished the characteristic effect of antidepressant drugs. Each antidepressant, given at a single dose, shortening the immobility time in forced swimming test and reduced the locomotor activity of mice. This sedative effect of antidepressants was intensified by antiepileptics. The present results suggest that antiepileptics can reduce the activating effect of antidepressant drugs of different groups.