Effect Of Co-Administration Of Venlafaxine And Perindopril To Uninephrectomized DOCA-Salt-Treated Albino Rats.

The present study investigates the effect of combination of the antidepressant venlafaxine (serotonin/noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor, SNRI) with the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor perindopril on the immobility time in the forced swimming test (FST) as well as on systolic blood pressure (SBP) in uninephroctemized DOCA salt-treated rats as a model of experimental hypertension. The FST is a behavioral test used to predict the efficacy of antidepressant treatments. It has a good predictive value for antidepressant potency in humans . This is to try to provide an experimental study about the benefit of the use of perindopril as a better antihypertensive in hypertensive patients with co-morbidity like depression or anxiety.Albino rats were divided into 4 groups; Group 1 (control) uninephrectomized without DOCA injection; Group 2 was uninephrectomized and received DOCA without any treatment. Group 3 were uninephrectomized and received DOCA then venlafaxine only in a dose of 8 mg/kg i. p. 30 min. before FST; Group 4 was uninephrectomized and received DOCA then the interacting drugs before FST. SBP measurements were conducted in all groups over a period of 8 hours post-injection at 30 min. intervals. Results revealed that perindopril potentiates the anti-immobility effect of venlafaxine. Additionally, venlafaxine did not affect the anti-hypertensive effect of perindopril. Venlafaxine did not change the SBP of non-hypertensive albino rats as showed in a pilot study.These results could provide a support for the effective use of venlafaxine in association with perindopril in hypertension and depression co-morbidity.