EFFECTS OF MOOD-STABILIZING DRUGS ON THE PERIPHERAL SEROTONIN TRANSPORTER

We studied the effect of lithium (L), carbamazepine (CBZ), valproic ac id (VA), verapamil (VP) and nifedipine (NF) on the specific binding of H-3-imipramine (H-3-IMI) to platelet membranes, as compared with clom ipramine (CLO). The results showed that VP, NF and CLO exerted a conce ntration-dependent inhibition on the IM] binding; CLO had the most pot ent inhibitory effect. No effect was observed with L. CBZ or VA. These results suggest that while VP and NF interact with the 5-HT transport er complex, L, CBZ and VA do not. Therefore, their effective (or sugge sted) mood-stabilizing effects are likely to be related to different m echanisms.