In vivo genotoxicity assessment of sertraline by using alkaline comet assay and the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay.

Sertraline, a leading antidepressant in the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) group of medicine, is the most frequently prescribed drug. In this study, the alkaline comet assay and the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay were used to investigate genotoxicity potential of sertraline in the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) of acute and chronic sertraline-treated Wistar albino rats. Male Wistar albino rats (n = 48) were administered low, medium and high doses of sertraline (10, 40, 80 mg/kg) for acute and chronic treatment by employing the gavage method to investigate genotoxicity of the administered drug. The data (tail length, tail intensity and tail moment) were analysed and indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between sertraline-treated groups and the negative control group with respect to DNA damage (p > 0.05). However, it was observed that acute sertraline administration had caused much more DNA damage in comparison with chronic treatment (p < 0.05). According to the data obtained from the CBMN test, an increase in the micronucleus (MN) frequency was detected at chronic and high-dose acute sertraline treatment. Based on the outcome of comet assay, detection of statistically insignificant DNA damage may be due to the fact that sertraline did not cause damage on DNA. Also, increase in frequency of MN in chronic sertraline treatment suggests that chronic sertraline administration might influence some mechanisms of cell division. Therefore, dose adjustment in depressed patients seems significant as it may help prevent further prognosis of the diseases.