Reboxetine acutely stimulates cortisol, ACTH, growth hormone and prolactin secretion in healthy male subjects

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of ACTH (Corticotropin), published as a randomized controlled trial.

In this single-blind study the effects of acute oral administration of the selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor reboxetine on the cortisol (COR), ACTH, growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) secretion were examined in 12 healthy male volunteers.

After insertion of an intravenous catheter, blood samples were drawn 1 hour prior to the administration of placebo or reboxetine, at time of administration, and during the time of 5 hours thereafter at periods of 30 minutes.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 12 volunteers taking part.

The age groups tagged for this paper are adults, men only.

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a randomized, single-blind and placebo-controlled study.

Because people in this ACTH (Corticotropin) study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

In this single-blind ACTH (Corticotropin) study one party knew the assignments and the other did not.

Some volunteers received a placebo instead of ACTH (Corticotropin), giving a reference point.

What Was Measured

Serum concentrations of COR, GH, and PRL as well as plasma levels of ACTH were determined in each blood sample by means of double antibody RIA, fluoroimmunoassay and chemiluminescence immunometric assay methods.

PubMed files the paper under topics including Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors, Adrenocorticotropic Hormone, Antidepressive Agents, Human Growth Hormone, Hydrocortisone, Morpholines and Prolactin.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, single-blind and placebo-controlled study of ACTH (Corticotropin) in 12 volunteers.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The publication is from 2004 (Psychoneuroendocrinology), a journal based in England.

More context: the ACTH (Corticotropin) compound page, all human trials.