Antidepressant effect of Ziprasidone in wistar albino rat by forced swimming test model

Background: Major depressive disorder is a common psychiatric condition and response conventional antidepressant drugs are sometimes unpredictable. Atypical antipsychotics by virtue of their pharmacodynamic profile show potential antidepressant effect.  Newer antidepressants as monotherapy or as augmenting agent for current therapy are need of the day. Ziprasidone is an atypical antidepressant drug possesses potential antidepressant activity by virtue of its 5HT1A agonistic activity and 5HT1D, 5HT2A and D2 receptors antagonistic activity. Method : Since its introduction in 1977 the forced swimming test model is still being used for evaluation of potential antidepressant molecule. 30 healthy male Wistar albino rat of 150-200 grams weight were divided in 3 groups with 10 rats in each. Group A was treated with 0.9% Normal Saline, Group B with Fluoxetine and Group C with Ziprasidone for 42 days. Forced Swimming test was done on day 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 days. Result: After 42 days of treatment both fluoxetine and ziprasidone shows significant antidepressant activity. In comparison to Normal saline both the drugs shows significant antidepressant activity. There is significant deference in antidepressant activity between Fluoxetine and Ziprasidone. Antidepressant activity of Fluoxetine started to appear from day 7 with p vale of 0.000 and of Ziprasidone started to appear from 14 days with p value of 0.000.  Conclusion: Ziprasidone as virtue of its diverse pharmacodynamic effect can be suitable candidate for clinical trials of MDD as monotherapy or as an augmenting agent of standard antidepressant therapy.