Imipramine Increases Norepinephrine and Serotonin in the Salivary Glands of Rats

Xerostomia induced by antidepressants such as imipramine has long been thought to be due to their anticholinergic effects. However, even antidepressants with low anticholinergic effects may have a high incidence of xerostomia. In salivary glands, norepinephrine activates alpha-adrenergic receptors in blood vessels and beta-adrenergic receptors in acinar cells, respectively, causing a decrease in the blood flow and an increase in the protein secretion, resulting in the secretion of viscous saliva with low water content and high protein content. A previous study demonstrated that perfusion of the submandibular glands of rats with serotonin significantly decreased saliva secretion. The results of the present study revealed the following: (1) that norepinephrine and serotonin, but not epinephrine nor dopamine, were detected in the interstitial fluids in rat submandibular glands; (2) that norepinephrine and serotonin concentrations in the dialysate was 4.3 ± 2.8 nM and 32.3 ± 19.6 nM at stable level, respectively; (3) that infusion with imipramine, a reuptake inhibitor of norepinephrine and serotonin, significantly and dose-dependently increased both norepinephrine and serotonin concentrations in the dialysate; and (4) that intraperitoneal administration of imipramine significantly increased both norepinephrine and serotonin concentrations in the dialysate. These results suggested that one of the mechanisms of xerostomia induced by reuptake inhibitors of norepinephrine and serotonin involves the activation of adrenergic and serotonin receptors in the salivary glands, respectively.