BLOCKAGE OF MUSCLE AND NEURONAL NICOTINIC ACETYLCHOLINE-RECEPTORS BY FLUOXETINE (PROZAC)

Fluoxetine (Prozac), a widely used antidepressant, is said to exert it s medicinal effects almost exclusively by blocking the serotonin uptak e systems. The present study shows that both muscle and neuronal nicot inic acetylcholine receptors are blocked, in a noncompetitive and volt age-dependent way, by fluoxetine, which also increases the rate of des ensitization of the nicotinic receptors. Because these receptors are v ery widely distributed in the both central and peripheral nervous syst ems, the blocking action of fluoxetine on nicotinic receptors may play an important role in its antidepressant and other therapeutical effec ts. Our findings will help to understand the mode of action of fluoxet ine, and they may also help to develop more specific medicinal drugs.