Posted by Hugh Bristic on November 22, 2005, at 8:26:04
In reply to Re: Where to find, questions....Larry, » Peter S., posted by JLxx on May 4, 2005, at 12:13:54
For those of you thinking of taking citicoline for depression you should consider the following article. Basically, it says that citicoline breaks down into cytidine and choline and that they have antagonsitic effects when it comes to depression, as measured by the forced swim test(FST). Citicoline itself has no effect on the FST, choline decreases the time to immobility (meaning it may actually make you depressed), and cytidine has effects similar to standard anti-depressants. I haven't been able to find cytidine anywhere except at chemical manufacturers and those listings don't appear to be straight uridine, but instead are cytidine-5'-monophosphate and cytidine 5'-triphosphate. Don't know if thats the same as plain old cytidine or not. I think I remeber reading that cytidine turns into cytidine 5'-triphosphate when it crosses the blood brain barrier, but don't quote me. I'm not a scientist, so take what I'm saying with a grain of salt. That is my interpretation of what I've found out though. Looks like the uridine reagent mentioned elswhere in this thread would be your best bet if you want to be risky and experiment on yourself, but I have no idea what the dosage would be for humans or even if it would work taken orally (the mice were given injections, I think).
Antidepressant-like effects of cytidine in the forced swim test in rats
William A. Carlezon, Jr Corresponding Author Contact Information, a, Andrea M. Pliakasa, Aimee M. Parowa, Michael J. Detkea, Bruce M. Cohena and Perry F. Renshawa
a Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts (WAC, AMP, AMP, BMC, PFR) and USA Lilly Research Laboratories, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, Indiana (MJD)
Received 16 August 2001; revised 24 October 2001; accepted 31 October 2001. Available online 14 May 2002.
Abstract
Background: Altered brain phospholipid metabolism may be involved in the pathophysiology of cocaine dependence and mood disorders. Evidence suggests that citicoline, a rate-limiting metabolite for phospholipid synthesis, reduces cocaine craving in human addicts. Because antidepressants can reduce cocaine craving, we explored in rats the possibility that citicoline has antidepressant effects. We also tested the primary metabolites of citicoline, cytidine and choline.
Methods: We examined if citicoline or metabolites alter immobility in the forced swim test. We used two scoring methods: latency to become immobile, a simple method that identifies antidepressants, and behavioral sampling, a complex method that differentiates antidepressants according to pharmacological mechanisms.
Results: Over a range of doses, citicoline did not affect behavior in the forced swim test. At molar equivalent doses, cytidine dramatically decreased immobility, whereas choline tended to increase immobility. The effects of cytidine resemble those of desipramine, a standard tricyclic antidepressant. None of the treatments affected locomotor activity, and cytidine did not establish conditioned place preferences.
Conclusions: Citicoline does not have effects in the forced swim test, but its primary metabolites have opposing effects: cytidine has antidepressant-like actions, whereas choline has prodepressant-like actions. At antidepressant doses, cytidine lacks stimulant and rewarding properties. This is the first report of potential antidepressant effects of cytidine.
poster:Hugh Bristic
thread:481903
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20051025/msgs/581189.html