The effects of fluoxetine exposure on growth and metabolism in the goldfish, Carassius auratus

Abstract

Fluoxetine (FLX), the active ingredient of Prozac(TM), is a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) and has been detected in sewage treatment plant effluents, surface waters, and in multiple fish species. One large gap in the literature exploring the effects of FLX is its affects on food intake and metabolism. The objectives of this study are to assess the role of FLX (540 ng FLX/L of tank water (high environmental level) and 54 mug/L) on food intake and whether FLX can cause effects on glycolytic metabolism unrelated to feeding in goldfish. FLX did elicit food deprivation and weight change in the high dose group and this resulted in changes in glycolytic parameters including plasma glucose and hexokinase activity. FLX also directly affected several parameters irrespective of food intake including regulating plasma glucose, presumably through CRF, cholesterol concentrations, hepatic glycogen concentration and muscle hexokinase activity.