Effect of long-term in vivo treatment with imipramine on the oxidative energy metabolism in rat brain mitochondria

The effects of long-term administration of the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine on energy metabolism of rat brain mitochondria were examined, Intraperitoneal administration of the drug resulted in significant stimulation of the state 3 respiration rates with glutamate, pyruvate + malate, beta-hydroxybutyrate and succinate as the substrates. The effect was evident within a week of imipramine administration and was sustained through the second week of the drug treatment. State 4 respiration rates were also found to be increased in general, However, the respiration with ascorbate + TMPD as the electron donor system decreased, The intramitochondrial content of cytochrome b and c + c(1) increased in the first week of the drug treatment; that of aa, cytochrome increased only in the second week.