Anti-inflammatory action of fluvoxamine in an endotoxin-induced uveitis rat model: Histopathological evidence

Purpose To investigate the potential protective effects of fluvoxamine (FVX), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor with known anti-inflammatory properties, on corneal, limbal, and retinal tissues in a rat model of endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU), clinical and histopathologic evaluations were performed. Methods Twenty-eight female Wistar Albino rats were divided into four groups: controls, EIU, EIU + FVX, and FVX (n = 7 per group). EIU was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). FVX or normal saline (NS) was administered 30 min before LPS or NS injection. Clinical ocular inflammation was assessed using slit-lamp biomicroscopy 6 h postinjection. Following euthanasia, enucleated eyes were processed for histopathologic analysis of corneal, limbal, and retinal tissues. Results Total corneal and epithelial thickness were measured, while limbal and retinal lesions were semiquantitatively graded. The EIU group exhibited significantly increased clinical ocular inflammation scores compared to the control, EIU + FVX, and FVX groups (p < 0.0001 for all). At the microscopical analysis, the EIU group showed significant corneal epithelial thickening, cellular changes, edema, hemorrhage, and increased total corneal thickness compared to the control group (p < 0.001). In addition, histopathologic analysis revealed retinal hyperemia and edema in the EIU group but not in the EIU + FVX, FVX, or control groups. Histopathologic scores confirmed significant retinal changes in the EIU group compared to the others (p < 0.001). Conclusions FVX significantly reduced clinical signs of ocular inflammation and mitigated histopathologic damage in the cornea, limbus, and retina.