The cytotoxic effect of mirtazapine on mitotic index, nucleus divition index and proliferation index in human peripheral blood lymphocyte

Mirtazapine (Remeron) is widely used as an antidepressant drug to treatment of major depressive disorders in all over the world. Mirtazapine plays its role by increasing norepinephrine and serotonin levels in brain. To days, the heavy and strongly use of the antidepressant necessitates more studies and being sure about the drug. Hence, the present research is aimed to study of cytotoxic effect of Mirtazapine on human peripheral blood lymphocytes by numeration of Mitotic Index (MI), Nuclear Division Index (NDI) and Proliferation Index (PI) tests. In this research, cytotoxic effect of mirtazapine at 24 and 48 hours treatment on four concentration (10, 25, 40, and 55µg/ml) was studied on human peripheral blood lymphocytes (from two male and two female) and the t-test was used for the statistical analysis. Exposing to the mirtazapine for 24 and 48 hours treatment periods leaded to a decrease in mitotic index and nucleus division index. Also, mirtazapine cause decreased proliferation index of the both 24 and 48 hours and the decreasing effect of mirtazapine on cell proliferation at 24h and 48h treatment was concentration dependent manner. According to this study mirtazapine has cytotoxic effects on human's cells, so mirtazapine can be valuable candidate for cancer treatment.