There is a big debate going on about effectiveness of antidepressants. Many psychologists argue that they are useless for depression or other diseases. mental health. On the other hand, other psychologists and virtually all psychiatrists note that although caution must be exercised when and why they are prescribed, they are effective and a good addition to treatment. psychological therapyj But it looks like therapy isn’t the only thing they can complement, according to a study describing positive effects combine antidepressants with cancer immunotherapy.
Specifically, this study, published at the end of 2023, mentioned antidepressants. ansofaxine hydrochloride. Although in China, where the study was conducted, it is allowed for cases major depression, health authorities in other countries have not yet given the green light for its introduction. This is because it is still considered almost an experimental drug. However, its consequences for improve cancer treatments They became another reason to study it deeper.
Previous studies have been conducted in which other antidepressants were combined with immunotherapy. But this one in particular seems to have a wider range and also produces less side effects in patients. This is an interesting discovery, but much remains to be studied as it is unknown how these drugs may enhance each other. Reducing stress can help, but there must be something more, and that is what needs to be explored.
Promising results in mice
The first experiments on a combination of antidepressants and immunotherapy were conducted colon cancer cell cultures and mice. In both cases, it was observed that the use of this drug along with immunotherapy caused a more powerful protective response from the immune system. Besides, it’s left Memory to attack cancer cells again when needed.
In particular, ansofaxine hydrochloride appears to act primarily on cells. CD8+Tone of the immune system’s best weapons against cancer.
However, increased levels of other important immune cells such as natural killer cells or macrophages. Having tested a combination of antidepressants and immunotherapy, it was possible to completely eliminate the tumors 20% of samplewhich is much more effective than using immunotherapy alone.
Other combinations of antidepressants with immunotherapy
This is not the first study to analyze the combination of antidepressants with immunotherapy. A significant portion of the antidepressants used today are those known as serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Its function, as the name suggests, is to prevent or delay serotonin reabsorptiondue to which its effect on the cells of the nervous system lasts longer.
Ansofaxine hydrochloride not only inhibits serotonin reuptake. He does the same with dopamine and norepinephrineThis makes it an excellent candidate, although it is not the only antidepressant of its type. fluoxetine It has similar effects, so it has also been tested in combination with cancer immunotherapy.
The problem is that it is a much older drug that takes longer to work and may cause more side effects. The same thing happens with sertralinea serotonin reuptake inhibitor that, when combined with immunotherapy, has helped neutralize human cancer cells from breast, lung, liver or brain tumors, among others.
Now neither these nor any antidepressants work alone against cancer. They should only be used in combination with anti-cancer treatments. The best combination is antidepressants and immunotherapy, so further research should be conducted in this direction. This could be a good incentive against this terrible disease.
Source: Hiper Textual
