Objective: Atypical antipsychotics represented a major advance in the treatment of schizophrenia and minimizing the extrapyramidal side effects. However, the use of atypical antipsychotics have been linked to weight gain, hyperglycemia, metabolic syndrome and risk of liver affection. Previous studies proposed that vitamin D deficiency may contribute to the development of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and more recently fatty liver. The goal of this study wasto investigate the role of vitamin D in protection against the metabolic and hepatic side effects of olanzapine.
Methods: Eighteen female albino rats received treatment by gavage for 5 weeks and divided into; C group: received (0.5ml/day) of normal saline and olive oil (0.2ml) twice weekly, (O) group: received olanzapine (2mg/ kg/day) and olive oil (0.2ml) twice weekly, and (O+D) group: received olanzapine (2mg/kg/day) and vitamin D3 (vit.D3) (125mcg/ Kg) orally by gavage twice weekly. Plasma levels of lipid panel, liver enzymes, glucose, insulin, Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-10 (IL-10), and Tumor necrosis-alpha (TNF-α)were determined. H & E staining of liver tissue were performed to assess the effects of vit.D3 treatment on olanzapine-induced histopathology.
Results: Co-administration of vit.D3 caused significant elevation of IL-6, IL-10, HDL/LDL and mild improvement of liver histopathology. However, it caused further elevation of triglycerides (TGs), total cholesterol (TC), very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), TNF-α, liver enzymes, plasma, bilirubin, and impaired glucose tolerance. Insignificant difference in weight gain and abdominal fat was found. Conclusion: These results suggest that olanzapine-induced disturbed lipid profile and hepatic steatosis is independent of weight gain.Moreover, this study provides an evidence for adverse effects of vitamin D supplementation especially in patients treated with olanzapine.