Objective: Amantadine blocks N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and has dopaminergic and noradrenergic action, a neurochemical profile that suggests its potential as an antidepressant drug. We conducted a systematic review of preclinical and clinical studies addressing the effects of amantadine in animal models of depression and in patients with depression. Methods: PubMed, Science Direct, and Web of Science were searched up to September 1, 2017 to identify clinical and preclinical studies. The following search terms were used: “amantadine AND depress*”; “amantadine AND mood”; “amantadine AND animal models AND antidepres*”; and “amantadine AND (forced swim, learned helplessness, reserpine, chronic mild stress, anhedonia, sucrose preference).” Results: Amantadine had antidepressant-like effects in animal models and appeared to potentiate the antidepressant effects of other antidepressants. These preclinical findings have received some support from the results of small open-label clinical trials, suggesting that amantadine can reduce depressive symptomatology and potentiate the antidepressant effects of monoaminergic drugs. In addition to its glutamatergic and dopaminergic effects, the potential antidepressant-like effects of amantadine have been linked to molecular and cellular actions, such as increased expression of neurotrophic factors (e.g., brain-derived neurotrophic factor), activation of σ1 receptors, decreased corticosterone levels, and decreased inflammatory response to stress. Conclusion: Amantadine is an interesting candidate as new antidepressant drug for the treatment of depression.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a dietilpropiona (DEP), um derivado fenetilamínico utilizado como anorexígeno, e dietas de diferentes densidades calóricas, utilizando ratos de ambos os sexos. O experimento contou com 72 ratos Wistar distribuídos por sexo, bloqueados por peso inicial e alocados dois a dois em 36 gaiolas experimentais. As dietas e a água foram fornecidas ad libitum e atenderam a todas as exigências dos animais, sendo que a dieta de alta energia continha 3.700kcal de energia metabolizável (EM)/kg, a média 3.350kcal EM/kg e a baixa 3.000kcal EM/kg de ração. A droga foi administrada com uma dose diária de 20mg/kg, durante 36 dias, por via intraperitonial. A análise estatística considerou os efeitos da droga, energia da dieta, sexo, triplicata e a interação entre essas variáveis. Os resultados mostraram que houve interação entre dieta e droga (p<0,0195) e que o uso da droga diminuiu o consumo alimentar apenas em dietas de baixa e média energias. A interação entre sexo e droga (p<0,0253) mostrou que a droga reduziu o ganho de peso em ambos os sexos. Concluiu-se que a DEP reduziu o ganho de peso dos machos e das fêmeas, com redução de gordura depositada em ambos os sexos, sendo que as percentagens de deposição de gordura foram maiores nas fêmeas do que nos machos, os quais depositaram mais proteína. A DEP foi responsável pela redução no consumo de dietas de baixa e média energia metabolizável, não havendo efeito em dietas de alta energia.

This aim of this work is to evaluate diethylpropion (DEP), a phenethylamine like drug used as an anorectic, and different caloric density diets using rats of both sexes. The experiment used 72 Wistar rats distributed by sex blocked by initial weight and separated two by two in 36 experimental cages. The diets and water were permitted ad libitum and attended to animal needs. The high-energy diet had 3,700kcal of metabolizable energy (ME)/kg, the medium energy diet had 3,359kcal ME/kg and the low energy diet had 3,000kcal ME/kg of feed. The drug was administered intraperitonealy daily during 36 days. The statistical analysis considered the effects of the drug, energy of the diet, sex, replicates and the interaction between these factors. There was an interaction between diet and drug (p<0.0195) and the use of the drug reduced only the food intake of low and medium energy diets. An interaction between sex and drug (p<0.0253) showed that the weight gain was reduced in both sexes. We conclude that DEP reduces the weight gain in male and in female rats, with a reduction in fat deposition in both sexes. The percentages of fat reduction were higher on females than on males while the latter had higher deposition of protein on the carcass. DEP was responsible for a reduction on food intake of low and medium energy diets, having no effect on the high energy diet.