Acute toxicity profile of maprotiline in the rat

The aim of the present study was to examine the toxic effects of single ora l administrations of the antidepressant maprotiline at 150 mg/kg or 300 mg/ kg using female Sprague-Dawley rats. Body-weight gain was significantly red uced in the group receiving 300 mg/kg on days 1-5 of the study (P<0.01). A significant reduction in food and water intake was observed on days 1 and 2 of the study (P<0.01) in the 300 mg/kg group and on day 1 in the 150 mg/kg group (P<0.05). There was a significant decrease in nocturnal home cage ac tivity over the first five days of the study in the 300 mg/kg group (P<0.01 ). A significant hypothermic response was observed in both 150 and 300 mg/k g groups at 1, 2 and 4 hr after dosing (P<0.01), that had returned to contr ol values within 8 hr following administration. This study demonstrates tha t a multi-parameter approach is appropriate for the investigation of high d oses of antidepressants in rodents.