The breast cancer drug, Tamoxifen, has shown its effectiveness in treating the manic episodes of bipolar disorder. More than 5 million Americans suffer from bipolar disorder. These findings came from a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 16 patients with bipolar disorder with or without psychotic features.
Bipolar disorder is characterised by alternate periods of severe depression and mania. These people are high risk cases for suicide as highs of a manic episode might be followed by a period of depression. Lithium is the drug of choice for bipolar disorder. But it is ineffective in some cases with more side effects.
How Tamoxifen is effective against bipolar disorder?
Protein Kinase C (PKC) in the brain cells activates receptors on the surface of brain cells and modifying how well they receive signals. Tamoxifen inhibits the action of PKC. Biggest advantage of Tamoxifen is it can cross blood brain barrier.
63% of the patients who received Tamoxifen had reduced manic symptoms during the three week trial, only 13% of their control counterparts given a placebo showed this improvement. And the Tamoxifen appeared to have this impact quickly – within five days. By comparison, current drugs to treat manic episodes generally take at least a week to produce an effect.
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