Genotoxicity of Psychotropic Drugs in Experimental and Clinical Studies

Data from studies of the genotoxic activity of psychotropic drugs published over the past 25 years were analyzed. Information describing the genotoxicity of psychotropic drugs was found to be fragmentary and inconsistent, and the experimental conditions in which they were produced often fail to meet accepted requirements. Among the 94 drugs considered, sufficient data for concluding that genotoxic properties are present or absent were found for only 9.6%. There is a need for a large-scale systematic reassessment of the genotoxicity of psychotropic drugs, especially first-generation drugs, based on modern methodology, including studies of mutagen-modifying activity. The desirability of monitoring the genotoxic status of patients treated with psychotropic drugs is emphasized, and this should contribute to an adequate assessment of the genotoxic risk of their use and determination of objective approaches to selecting drugs for safe therapy. The relevance of research to determine the role of primary DNA damage in the pathogenesis of mental illness is grounded.