Taurine and coenzyme Q10 synergistically prevent and reverse chlorpromazine-induced psycho-neuroendocrine changes and cataleptic behavior in rats

Over the years, mounting evidences have suggested a strong association between chronic chlorpromazine therapy, a popular first-generation antipsychotic drug, and psycho-neuroendocrine changes. In this study, we aim to examine whether treatment with taurine and coenzyme Q10 (COQ-10), compounds with steroidogenic-gonadotropin hormone-enhancing properties, can attenuate the negative impacts of chlorpromazine on steroidogenic, gonadotropin, thyroid and HPA-axis hormones, dopamine levels, catalepsy behavior and neuronal cells of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in the preventive and reversal treatments in male Wister rats. In the drug treatment alone or preventive protocol, rats received oral administration of saline (10 mL/kg), taurine (150 mg/kg/day), COQ-10 (10 mg/kg/day), or both (taurine + COQ-10/day) alone for 56 consecutive days, or in combination with oral chlorpromazine (30 mg/kg/day) treatment from days 29 to 56. In the reversal protocol, the animals received chlorpromazine or saline for 56 days prior to taurine, COQ-10, or the combination from days 29 to 56. Thereafter, serum prolactin, steroidogenic (testosterone, estrogen, progesterone), gonadotropin (luteinizing hormone, LH, follicle-stimulating hormone, FSH), thyroid (thyrotropin-stimulating hormone, tetraiodothyronine, triiodothyronine) hormones, corticosterone, brain dopamine levels and cataleptic behavior were investigated. The histopathological features of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland were also evaluated. Taurine, COQ-10, or their combination prevented and reversed chlorpromazine-induced hyperprolactinemia, decrease in FSH, LH, testosterone, progesterone and dopamine concentrations, as well as the increase in estrogen levels. Taurine and COQ-10 reduced the changes in thyroid hormones, corticosterone release, histological distortions of the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland of chlorpromazine-treated rats. Taurine and COQ-10 attenuated chlorpromazine-induced catalepsy. The study showed that taurine and COQ-10 prevented and reversed chlorpromazine-induced changes in reproductive, thyroid hormones, dopamine level, corticosterone release, neurodegenerations, and cataleptic behavior in rats.

Prevention and reversal of chlorpromazine induced testicular dysfunction in rats by synergistic testicle-active flavonoids, taurine and coenzyme-10

Evidences have shown that alterations in testicular dehydrogenase and ionic-ATPase activities have important implications in spermatogenesis and sperm capacitation, a penultimate biochemical change required for fertilization. Previous studies have revealed that taurine and coenzyme-Q10 (COQ-10), which are synergistic testicle-active bioflavonoids, with proven gonadotropin-enhancing properties reduce testicular damage in rats. Hence, this study investigated the effects of taurine and COQ-10 or their combination alone, and in the preventive and reversal of chlorpromazine-induced inhibition of testicular dehydrogenase enzymes, electrogenic pumps, sperm capacitation and acrosomal-reaction in male Wister rats. In the drug-treatment alone or preventive-protocol, rats received oral treatment of saline (10 mL/kg), taurine (150 mg/kg/day), COQ-10 (10 mg/kg/day) or both alone repeatedly for 56 days, or in combination with chlorpromazine (30 mg/kg/p.o./day) from days 29-56. In the reversal-protocol, the animals received chlorpromazine for 56 days prior to saline, taurine, COQ-10 or the combination from days 29-56. Thereafter, spermatogenesis (sperm count, viability, motility and morphology), testicular dehydrogenase [3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3ß-HSD), 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17ß-HSD), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), lactate dehydrogenase-X (LDH-X)], ATPase (Na⁺/K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, H⁺) activities, sperm capacitation and acrosomal reaction were evaluated. Taurine and COQ-10 or their combination increased spermatogenesis, testicular 3ß-HSD, 17ß-HSD, G6PDH and LDH-X enzymes of naïve and chlorpromazine-treated rats. Both taurine and COQ-10 increased Na⁺/K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ and H⁺-ATPase activities. Also, taurine and COQ-10 or their combination prevented and reversed chlorpromazine-induced inhibition of sperm capacitation and acrosomal-reaction. The study showed that taurine and COQ-10 prevent and reverse chlorpromazine-induced inhibition of spermatogenesis, epididymal sperm capacitation and acrosomal reaction in rats through increased testicular dehydrogenases and electrogenic pump activities.