A few studies have suggested that the adjunctive use of ant-inflammatory agents like minocycline and celecoxib for bipolar disorder may improve the depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of minocycline and celecoxib in the treatment of the bipolar disorder.
This randomized, 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial included a total of 266 adults aged 18-65 years with DSM-5 bipolar disorder and a major depressive episode. The participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1:1 ratio to receive either active minocycline plus active celecoxib, active minocycline plus placebo celecoxib, placebo minocycline plus active celecoxib, or placebo minocycline plus placebo celecoxib. The primary outcome of the study was the mean change from the baseline level in the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) score.
At 12 weeks, a reduction in depressive symptoms as per the HAMD-17 score was observed in all four groups (25.5-25.2 to 11.3-12.8). However, HAMD-17 did not alter for patients treated with minocycline or for celecoxib. The incidence of severe adverse events was similar in the four groups (manic switch and self-harm).
The research concluded that the use of minocycline and celecoxib was not associated with an improvement in depressive symptoms in patients with bipolar depression.
Ref: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(20)30138-3/fulltext
