CATALASE, SUPEROXIDE-DISMUTASE AND GLUTATHIONE-PEROXIDASE ACTIVITY INNEUTROPHILS OF SHAM-OPERATED AND OLFACTORY-BULBECTOMISED RATS FOLLOWING CHRONIC TREATMENT WITH DESIPRAMINE AND LITHIUM-CHLORIDE

In the olfactory-bulbectomised rat model of depression, neutrophil pha gocytosis was significantly decreased and phagocytosis started later i n comparison to sham-operated animals. Both desipramine and lithium ch loride treatment significantly reversed the depressed neutrophil phago cytosis and shortened the time to commencement of phagocytosis in drug -treated bulbectomised rats. The catalase and glutathione peroxidase ( GSH-PX) activities in bulbectomised rats were decreased, while superox ide dismutase (SOD) was significantly increased. Chronic desipramine a nd lithium chloride treatment slightly improved catalase activity in t he bulbectomised rats. Desipramine significantly reversed the reductio n in activity of GSH-PX, but failed to reverse the increased activity of SOD. In contrast, lithium chloride significantly reversed SOD activ ity to normal values, without affecting GSH-PX activity in the bulbect omised rats.