Olanzapine alleviates oxidative stress in the liver of socially isolated rats

Olanzapine, an antipsychotic drug, is used to treat depressive disorder, but its effects on the liver, the main site of drug metabolism, still remain elusive. We studied the effects of 3 weeks of olanzapine treatment (7.5 mg/kg per day) on the malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PCO) contents, protein expression of copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD), and activity of total superoxide dismutase (SOD), as well as catalase (CAT) protein expression and activity levels in the liver cytosol of rats exposed to 6 weeks of chronic social isolation (CSIS), which causes depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors. Increased cytosolic MDA in CSIS rats (vehicle-or olanzapine-treated) indicated hepatic oxidative stress. Increase in PCO and CAT activity associated with unchanged total SOD activity following CSIS also confirm the presence of oxidative stress. Chronic olanzapine treatment in CSIS prevented increase in PCO without an effect on MDA content. Increased SOD activity in olanzapine-treated (controls and CSIS) groups compared with corresponding vehicle-treated groups and decreased CAT activity in olanzapine-treated CSIS rats compared with vehicle-treated CSIS group was found. The data suggest that chronic olanzapine treatment has a protective effect on hepatic protein oxidation and improves antioxidant defense. The beneficial effects of olanzapine may be due to its free radical scavenging properties and antioxidant activity.