Effects of duloxetine on norepinephrine and serotonin transporter activity in healthy subjects

J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2014 Feb;34(1):9-16. doi: 10.1097/JCP.0000000000000061.

Abstract

Duloxetine selectively inhibits the serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) transporters (5-HTT and NET, respectively), as demonstrated in vitro and in preclinical studies; however, transporter inhibition has not been fully assessed in vivo at the approved dose of 60 mg/d. Here, the in vivo effects of dosing with duloxetine 60 mg once daily for 11 days in healthy subjects were assessed in 2 studies: (1) centrally (n = 11), by measuring concentrations of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol (DHPG), and NE in cerebrospinal fluid, and (2) versus escitalopram 20 mg/d (n = 32) in a 2-period crossover study by assessing the ΔDHPG/ΔNE ratio in plasma during orthostatic testing and by pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling of reuptake inhibition using subjects' serum in cell lines expressing cloned human 5-HTT or NET. At steady state, duloxetine significantly reduced concentrations of DHPG and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (P < 0.05), but not NE, in cerebrospinal fluid; DHPG was also decreased in plasma and urine. The ΔDHPG/ΔNE ratio in plasma decreased significantly more with duloxetine than escitalopram (65% and 21%, respectively; P < 0.0001). Ex vivo reuptake inhibition of 5-HTT was comparable (EC50 = 44.5 nM) for duloxetine and escitalopram, but duloxetine inhibited NET more potently (EC50 = 116 nM and 1044 nM, respectively). Maximal predicted reuptake inhibition for 5-HTT was 84% for duloxetine and 80% for escitalopram, and that for NET was 67% and 14%, respectively. In summary, duloxetine significantly affected 5-HT and NE turnover in the central nervous system and periphery; these effects presumably occurred via inhibition of reuptake by the 5-HTT and NET, as indicated by effects on functional reuptake inhibition ex vivo.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors / adverse effects
  • Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors / blood
  • Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors / pharmacokinetics
  • Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • California
  • Central Nervous System / drug effects*
  • Central Nervous System / metabolism
  • Citalopram / pharmacology
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Duloxetine Hydrochloride
  • Female
  • Healthy Volunteers
  • Humans
  • Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Male
  • Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / analogs & derivatives
  • Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / blood
  • Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / urine
  • Middle Aged
  • Norepinephrine / blood
  • Norepinephrine / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Norepinephrine / urine
  • Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / adverse effects
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / blood
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / pharmacokinetics
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / drug effects*
  • Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Texas
  • Thiophenes / adverse effects
  • Thiophenes / blood
  • Thiophenes / pharmacokinetics
  • Thiophenes / pharmacology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors
  • Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
  • SLC6A2 protein, human
  • SLC6A4 protein, human
  • Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors
  • Thiophenes
  • Citalopram
  • Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol
  • Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid
  • Duloxetine Hydrochloride
  • 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol
  • Norepinephrine