'Miracle Pill' Discovered: Antidepressants Hold Key to Preventing Deadly Infections

New Delhi, December 2023 - A groundbreaking research published in the journal Science Advances has revealed that antidepressants like Prozac can not only mitigate mental health disorders but also prevent serious infections and life-threatening sepsis.

Scientists at the prestigious Salk Institute have discovered that these commonly prescribed medications can regulate the immune system and combat infectious diseases. According to Professor Janelle Ayres from Howard Hughes Medical Institute, "It's essentially playing offense and defense, which is ideal and especially exciting to see in a drug that we already know is safe to use in humans."

In the study, researchers tested mice infected with bacteria, dividing them into two groups: one group that received fluoxetine before infection and another that did not. The results showed that the mice pretreated with fluoxetine were protected from sepsis, multi-organ damage, and death.

Further analysis revealed that fluoxetine significantly reduced the number of bacteria in the mice population eight hours post-infection, indicating a less severe infection. The researchers also found that fluoxetine induced anti-inflammatory molecules, such as IL-10, which helped prevent the condition known as hypertriglyceridemia, allowing the heart to maintain its proper metabolic state and protect against infection-induced morbidity and mortality.

The Salk Institute team's findings suggest that antidepressants have a broader range of capabilities than previously thought, making them promising candidates for preventing deadly infections in humans. As researchers move forward with further studies, this breakthrough discovery could pave the way for a new generation of life-saving treatments and bolster global preparedness against future pandemics.

Source: The Salk Institute

(IANS)