Abstract
Background:
The association between depression and anxiety is well established. Patients receiving antidepressant treatment such as duloxeine and bupropion also consume caffeine daily in the form of tea, coffee, and so on. Duloxetine and bupropion also have anxiolytic activity. Caffeine dose dependently produces anxiogenic or anxiolytic activity. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of caffeine combined with either duloxetine or bupropion on anxiety.
Methods:
Male Swiss Albino mice received intraperitoneal treatment of normal saline (10 mL/kg), caffeine alone (10 mg/kg), duloxetine alone (10 mg/kg), bupropion alone (10 mg/kg), caffeine+duloxetine (5 mg/kg each), bupropion+caffeine (5 mg/kg each), or bupropion+duloxetine (5 mg/kg each). Anxiolytic activity was analyzed 30 min after treatment using elevated plus maze, open field, and light/dark transition tests.
Results:
One way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's post hoc test showed significant anxiolytic activity in combination treated groups, particularly in the open field and light/dark transition tests. Combination treated groups showed better anxiolytic activity than monotherapy treated groups in the open field and light/dark transition tests.
Conclusion:
The combination of a low dose of caffeine with either duloxetine or bupropion may be of benefit in terms of lowering doses of later drugs and associated side effects in the treatment of anxiety.
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