[Evaluation of sperm quality, maturation and DNA integrity in adult mice treated with sulpiride]

Use of certain antipsychotic drugs has severe effects on fertility in males. Hypothalamus and hypophysial impressions and changes in plasma hormones concentration like prolactin, LH and FSH can affect sperm production. In this study, we investigated the effects of sulpiride on sperm quality, maturation and DNA damage. Twenty for adult male mice [age: 6-8 weeks] were divided into three groups. The treatment group received 40 mg/kg sulpiride solution and the control sham group was given carrier of the drug intraperitoneally [IP] daily for 45 days but the control group received nothing. Finally, all the mice were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and their cauda epididymis were removed surgically. The excised specimens were placed in 1 ml HTF medium and incubated for 30 min in CO2 incubator to allow the spermatozoa to swim out. Later, sperm count, motility and viability were analyzed. Additionally, sperm chromatin quality and DNA integrity were assessed by aniline blue and acridine orange staining. Significant decrease in sperm motility and count were observed in the treatment group while the number of abnormal sperm increased as compared with the other two groups. Sperm viability and DNA maturation showed significant reduction and the rate of DNA damage increased in comparison with the control sham and the control groups [P<0.05]. The study showed that sulpiride has negative effects on sperm parameters in treated animals and in some cases it could cause secondary infertility

Amisulpride: a Brief Review.

Amisulpride, belonging to second generation antipsychotics, is a substituted benzamide derivative indicated for the treatment of acute and chronic schizophrenia with prominent positive and/or negative symptoms. Amisulpride has high affinity for the dopamine D2/D3 receptors. It inhibits dopamine transmission by blocking postsynaptic D2/D3 receptors in the limbic system, which is predicative of potent antipsychotic activity. The elimination half-life is 12 hours. Metabolism is limited with most of the drug excreted unchanged in the feces (64%). Clinical studies have supported that Amisulpride (400-1200mg/day) is at least as effective as Haloperidol and Risperidone and more effective than flupenthixol in acute exacerbation. In the treatment of patients with predominantly negative symptoms, Amisulpride was more effective than placebo. Recently some studies have shown it to be having efficacy in dysthymia also. Its favorable characteristics also include low incidence of EPSE and weight gain, however, it has a high incidence of prolactin elevation.

Trastornos del movimiento inducidos por trazodone y veralipride: casos clínicos / Trazodone and veralapride-induced movement disorders: case reports

Comunicamos la aparición de movimientos anormales inducidos por dos fármacos de común uso en el adulto: trazodona y veralipride. El primer paciente desarrolla un parkinsonismo luego de una semana de usar Trazodona: la sintomatología se revierte al cabo de algunas semanas de suspendida la droga. El segundo paciente se presenta con una distonía tardía que comprometió extremidades inferiores, pared abdominal y región oro-mandibular luego de 2 meses de usar Veralipride: la sintomatología desaparece luego de 1 mes de suspendida la droga. Esta comunicación enfatiza la necesidad de mayor reconocimiento de este tipo de reacciones adversas de estos fármacos de común uso en nuestro medio.

We report the occurrence of abnormal movements induced by two drugs of common use in middle-aged patients: trazodone and veralipride. The first patient developed a akinetic-rigid syndrome after 1 week of using trazodone; the parkinsonism subsided completely a few weeks after drug withdrawal. The second patient presented with a tardive dystonia involved lower limbs, abdominal wall and face after two months of taking veralipride, the movements also gradually disappeared after stopping veralipride. Our report emphasizes the need for more awareness by clinicians of these secondary effects which can severely affect patients.

Worsening of parkinsonism after the use of veralipride for treatment of menopause: case report

We describe a female patient with stable Parkinson's disease who has shown a marked worsening of her motor functions following therapy of menopause related symptoms with veralipride, as well as the improvement of her symptoms back to baseline after discontinuation of the drug. We emphasize the anti-dopaminergic effect of veralipride

Comparación del efecto de la amisulprida y la viloxacina en el tratamiento de la distimia / Comparison of the amisulpride and viloxazine effect in the dysthymia treatment

El presente trabajo se propone evaluar la eficacia terapéutica de la amisulprida, comparándola con la viloxacina en un grupo de pacientes diagnosticados como distímicos de acuerdo con los criterios de clasificación del DSM-III-R. Se trata de un estudio controlado doble ciego con asignación aleatoria, de una serie de 80 pacientes evaluados en un examen incial y a lo largo de 4 semanas de tratamiento. Entre los instumentos empleados para la evaluación figuran la escala de depresión de Hamilton, la del retardo psicomotor de Widlocher y la de síntomas negativos de Andreasen. Se evalúa tanto la eficacia como la seguridad de los medicamentos. Se presentan un análisis de los resultados que sugiere una mejor respuesta terapéutica en el grupo de la amisulprida