Lycopene and L-Carnitine attenuate fluoxetine-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in normal gingival cells: a preliminary analysis

Background & Aims: Fluoxetine-induced cytotoxicity involves multiple mechanisms, including increased production of reactive
oxygen species (ROS) and reduced antioxidant capacity by decreasing levels of GSH and buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), which are
associated with increased levels of protein carbonyls, malondialdehyde, GST activity, NO and NF-KB levels, and superoxide anions.
The purpose of this study was the effect of lycopene and L-carnitine on cytotoxicity and oxidative stress caused by fluoxetine on normal
gingival cell line.
Materials & Methods: In this study, 50, 100, and 200 μM concentrations of L-carnitine and lycopene were used as antioxidants to
investigate the cellular toxicity caused by fluoxetine and by measuring oxidative stress factors such as ROS and lipid peroxidation
(LPO). Statistical analysis was performed using Prism V8 software, and a p <0.05 was considered significant.
Results: The results showed that fluoxetine induced cellular oxidative stress by impairing mitochondrial function. Co-treatment of
cells with fluoxetine, lycopene, and L-carnitine effectively inhibited fluoxetine-induced cytotoxicity, scavenged free radicals, and
prevented lipid membrane damage (p<0.05).
Conclusion: this study demonstrates that fluoxetine can induce cellular damage. Further investigations should be conducted on larger
patient populations undergoing longer treatment periods with antidepressants to evaluate their cellular toxicity. The findings also
indicate that lycopene and L-carnitine have potent antioxidant effects in mitigating fluoxetine-induced cytotoxicity by scavenging free
radicals and preventing lipid membrane damage.