Clozapine, ziprasidone, and sertindole-induced morphological changes in the rat heart and their relationship to antioxidant enzymes function

Atypical antipsychotics produce severe side effects including myocarditis that may be attributed to oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of clozapine, ziprasidone, and sertindole on rat heart morphology and determine whether redox imbalane plays a role in development of histopathological changes. Adult 3-month-old male Wistar rats were treated with recommended daily dose for selected drugs. After 4 week treatment histopathological analysis of the heart was performed and expression and activity of antioxidant enzymes determined. All examined drugs induced histopathological changes that were characterized as toxic myocarditis. Degenerative changes in cardiomyocytes were accompanied by lymphocytic infiltration as well as pericardial histopathological alterations in all treated groups. The least prominent changes were observed in sertindole-treated animals, and most severe with clozapine. Clozapine increased superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) activity while ziprasidone reduced glutathione reductase (GR) activity. Sertindole exerted no marked effect on antioxidant enzyme function in the heart even though myocardial degeneration was noted. In conclusion, treatment with clozapine or ziprasidone induced pathophysiological alterations in rat heart, which appeared to be associated disturbances in antioxidant capacity. Abbreviation: AAP, Atypical antipsychotics; ROS, reactive oxygen species; SOD1, Copper-zinc superoxide dismutase; SOD2, Manganese superoxide dismutase; CAT, Catalase; GPx, Glutathione peroxidase; GR, Glutathione reductase; H&E, hematoxylin and eosin stain; TNF- α, tumor necrosis factor alpha.

[Magnetic resonance findings and cerebrospinal fluid parameters in the evaluation of blood-brain barrier status and multiple sclerosis activity]

The diagnosis of disseminated demyelinating disease of central nervous system (DDD CNS) was established on clinical criteria, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analyses, electrophysiological and neuro-radiological examinations. The aim of this investigation was to perform an analysis of the state of blood-brain barrier and activity of demyelinating process in the patients, by the comparison of CSF findings and results of magnetic resonance (MR) examinations using paramagnetic contrast. Investigations were performed in 30 patients with DDD CNS in the phase of clinical impairment, without immunosuppressive/immunomodulatory therapy in the last 3 months. The results revealed the absence of correlation between CSF and MR findings, as in connection with the damage of blood-brain barrier, so in relation to immunologic activity of the disease. In the study are discussed the causes of these disparities that are the probable sequela of heterogenicity of physiopathologic events and disease forms inside DDD CNS.