The Effect of Sertraline on Oxidative Stress in Patients with Depression

Background: There is effect of sertraline on oxidative stress in patients with depression.Objective: To assess the oxidative stress and total antioxidant capacity in patients with depression, and evaluate the effect of antidepressant (sertraline) on the oxidative stress and total antioxidant status.Design: comparative case-series study.Setting: The study was conducted in consultatory clinic outpatient departments of psychiatry physicians.Methodology: The study period between Nov.1st, 2020 and April.1st, 2021. Thirty female patients newly diagnosed with depression and thirty, sex and age-matched healthy volunteers as control group were participated in the study. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant status (T-AOC) were measured control group and also measured in patients with depression before and after taking sertraline therapy for two months duration.Results: Depressed patients have higher MDA values than that of the control group (9.191 2.796 and 3.21 0.94 nmol/ml respectively) (P-value = 0.001) and lower level of T-AOC (9.44 3.210 U/ml) in depressed patients than that of control group (11.26 2.98 U/ml) P-value = 0.027)MDA values of newly diagnosed patients(9.191 2.796 nmol/ml) were significantly higher than that of patients taking sertraline treatment for 2 months (6.123 1.889 nmol/ml) (p<0.001). The T-AOC values of newly diagnosed patients (9.444 3.210 U/ml) were significantly lower than that of patients taking sertraline treatment for 2 months (10.142 2.362 U/ml) (p<0.122).Conclusion:The present study demonstrated that depressed patients have increased level of malondialdehyde and decreased level of total antioxidants capacity than the control group while depressed patients treated with sertraline for two months have decreased level of MDA and increased levels of T-AOC than their levels before treatment. This result may give a new insight that sertraline may exhibit its effect in the management of depression by acting as an antioxidant.Keywords: Depression, Oxidative Stress, Sertraline.