The Effect of Subchronic Treatment With Fluoxetine on Fasting Blood Glucose and Oral Glucose Tolerance Test in Non-Diabetic Rats

Abstract

This study evaluated whether the use of subchronic fluoxetine may interfere with the results of laboratory tests of fasting blood glucose test and the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Were determined, every week, the fasting plasma glucose (12 hours) and blood glucose two hours after overload with oral glucose (1.5 g/kg) (OGTT) from non-diabetic Wistar rats treated with saline and fluoxetine (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 mg/kg) for eight weeks. The glucose measurements were performed in glucometer ACCU-CHEK® Active with samples of blood obtained by puncture of the tail vein. At the end of the treatment were determined the percentage of glycated hemoglobin by ion-exchange chromatography in microcolumn. The results were analyzed by One-Way ANOVA test (non-parametric) followed by Bonferroni (p<0.05). Rats treated with fluoxetine had reductions in fasting plasma glucose on the third (0.5, 2.0 and 4.0 mg/kg) and the eighth week (1.0 and 4.0 mg/kg). Moreover, increase in fasting plasma glucose was observed in the seventh week with fluoxetine 4.0 mg/kg. The decrease in blood glucose of OGTT was found in the eighth week with fluoxetine 4.0 mg/kg. The average percentage of glycated hemoglobin did not differ between groups. Although fluoxetine has changed the fasting plasma glucose and blood glucose of OGTT, there was no change in the rate of glycation of hemoglobin, suggesting that such fluctuations are normal variations in the glucose metabolism. Thus, it is possible to allow the use of subchronic fluoxetine in the used doses does not represent a pre-analytical factor capable of interfering in tests for fasting plasma glucose and OGTT.