A recent study published in the Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience journal has shed light on the potential effects of commonly prescribed antidepressants on the normal gut microbiota. The study, performed by Dr. Leonova L.V., Rukavishnikov G.V. et al., aimed to evaluate the growth kinetics of normal human gut microorganisms with antidepressants most commonly used in routine clinical practice.
The results of the study showed that all evaluated antidepressants had an inhibitory effect on the growth of all studied microorganisms, including members of the dominant taxa in the gut microbiota. Fluvoxamine and venlafaxine had the least effect on the growth activity of all studied microorganisms, while escitalopram had a greater effect on the growth rate of several microorganisms (including E. coli, E. faecalis, B. bifidum, L. rhamnosus, and C. albicans) compared to other drugs.
The authors note that further research is needed to fully understand the implications of these findings, however suggest that studying the antimicrobial activity of antidepressants could become a promising direction for optimizing personalized therapy for patients with depression.
This study expands on existing data regarding the potential antimicrobial effects of antidepressants and highlights the importance of considering the effects of these drugs on the normal gut microbiota. The healthy gut microbiota plays an important role in promoting intestinal homeostasis and can exert anti-inflammatory or even anti-cancer effects. Thus, understanding the potential effects of antidepressants on the gut microbiota may be crucial for optimizing depression treatment and overall patient health.
However, the authors notice that the results were obtained in vitro, and more research is needed to determine whether antidepressants reach the gastrointestinal tract in sufficient concentration to exert antimicrobial effects. Despite this limitation, the study highlights the need for further investigation into the potential impact of antidepressants on the gut microbiota, which could help to optimize personalized therapy for patients with depression.
For citation: Rukavishnikov G, Leonova L, Kasyanov E, Leonov V, Neznanov N and Mazo G (2023) Antimicrobial activity of antidepressants on normal gut microbiota: Results of the in vitro study. Front. Behav. Neurosci. 17:1132127. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1132127
