ABSTRACT

In our study the effects of the antidepressant drugs buspirone (0.0025ug/ml), sertraline (0.19ug/ml), citalopram (0.286ug/ml, 0.502ug/ml, 0.703ug/ml) and fluoxetine (0.015ug/ml, 0.035ug/ml, 0.055ug/ml) on polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) function of 20 healthy young volunteers, whose mean age was 25 were investigated in vitro. PMNs (lxl07 cell/ml) were isolated by ficoll-hypaque gradient centrifugation method from venous blood with EDTA. Phagocytosis and intracellular killing activity were assayed by modifying Alexander’s method. Fluoxetine at 0.035ug/ml concentration has significantly increased the PMN’s phagocytic activity, of the healthy young volunteers but did not effect their PMN’s intracellular killing activity. The results might bring a new immunotherapeutic approach to the therapy of the major depressant patients whose immune system is suppressed.