Imipramine reverses the depressive symptoms in sepsis survivor rats

Objective To evaluate the antidepressant effect of imipramine on depressive symptoms observed in sepsis survivors rats. Design and setting Prospective, controlled experiment in an animal basic science laboratory. Subjects Male Wistar rats weighing 300–350 g. Interventions The rats underwent cecal ligation and perforation (CLP; sepsis group) with “basic support” (saline at 50 ml/kg immediately and 12 h after CLP plus ceftriaxone at 30 mg/kg and clindamycin at 25 mg/kg 6, 12, and 18 h after CLP) or sham-operated (control group). After 10 days of recovery rats received intraperitoneal injections of imipramine 10 mg/kg or saline and were subjected to the forced swimming test. Measurements and results The observed increase in the immobility time in the forced swimming test in animals subjected to CLP, as a parameter of depressive behavior, was reversed by imipramine. Conclusions The depressive symptoms evaluated by forced swimming test had been reversed after imipramine administration. Our data provide evidence that CLP-induced depressive symptoms are sensitive to antidepressants. This research was supported in part by UNESC (Brazil), FAPESC (Brazil), and CNPq (Brazil).