Changes in circulating cytokine levels in midlife women with psychological symptoms with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and Japanese traditional medicine

Yasui, Toshiyuki; Yamada, Masayo; Uemura, Hirokazu; Ueno, Shu-ichi; Numata, Shusuke; Ohmori, Tetsuro; Tsuchiya, Naoko; Noguchi, Masamichi; Yuzurihara, Mitsutoshi; Kase, Yoshio; Irahara, Minoru

doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2008.12.007

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Volume 62, Issue 2 , Pages 146-152, 20 February 2009

Changes in circulating cytokine levels in midlife women with psychological symptoms with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and Japanese traditional medicine

Toshiyuki Yasui
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Course of Human Development, Human Development and Health Science, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
- Corresponding author. Fax: +81 88 631 2630.
Masayo Yamada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Course of Human Development, Human Development and Health Science, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
Hirokazu Uemura
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Course of Human Development, Human Development and Health Science, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Japan
Shu-ichi Ueno
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Neuroscience, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan
Shusuke Numata
- Department of Psychiatry, Course of Integrated Brain Sciences, Medical Informatics, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Japan
Tetsuro Ohmori
- Department of Psychiatry, Course of Integrated Brain Sciences, Medical Informatics, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Japan
Naoko Tsuchiya
- Pharmacology Research Department, Tsumura Central Research Institute, Japan
Masamichi Noguchi
- Pharmacology Research Department, Tsumura Central Research Institute, Japan
Mitsutoshi Yuzurihara
- Pharmacology Research Department, Tsumura Central Research Institute, Japan
Yoshio Kase
- Pharmacology Research Department, Tsumura Central Research Institute, Japan
Minoru Irahara
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Course of Human Development, Human Development and Health Science, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan

Received 18 March 2008; received in revised form 21 November 2008; accepted 11 December 2008. published online 12 January 2009.

Abstract

Objective

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects on serum cytokine concentrations of paroxetine, a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor, and kamishoyosan, a Japanese traditional medicine, in midlife women with psychological symptoms.

Methods

Seventy-six women with psychological symptoms such as anxiety and mild depression as menopausal symptoms were enrolled in this study. Thirty-eight women received oral administration of 10mg paroxetine every day, and 38 women received oral administration of kamshoyosan every day for 6 months. Overall climacteric symptoms were assessed using Greene's climacteric scale. Serum levels of cytokines were measured using a multiplexed human cytokine assay.

Results

Greene's total scores in both women treated with paroxetine and in women treated with kamishoyosan decreased significantly. Percentage decreases in Greene's total, psychological and vasomotor scores during the 6-month period in the paroxetine group were significantly greater than those in the kamishoyosan group. Serum IL-6 concentration in women treated with paroxetine decreased significantly. Serum concentrations of IL-8, IL-10, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1β and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in women treated with paroxetine decreased significantly. On the other hand, serum IL-6 concentration in women treated with kamishoyosan decreased significantly, but other serum concentrations did not change significantly.

Conclusion

Decrease in IL-6 concentration may be involved in the mechanism of the actions of both paroxetine and kamishoyosan in women with psychological symptoms, and IL-6 may therefore be useful as a marker of treatment. The action of paroxetine may also be associated with decreases in IL-8, IL-10, MIP-1β.

Keywords: Interleukin-6, Psychological symptoms, SSRI, Japanese traditional medicine, Midlife women