P-03 Inositol Depletion as a Screening Tool for Identifying Potential New Anti-bipolar Drugs

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a debilitating mood disorder characterized by recurring episodes of mania and depression. It affects 1 - 2% of the population and has a lifetime prevalence among adults of 3.9%. Current treatments for BD are ineffective for and not well tolerated by a large number of patients. The goal of this study was to identify potential new treatments for BD. Since depletion of intracellular inositol is one of the mechanisms hypothesized by which several anti-bipolar drugs work, we employed inositol depletion in the yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae as a screening tool to identify potential new anti-bipolar drugs. Results: (1) Similar to the anti-bipolar drug valproate, the omega-3-fatty acids decosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicospentaenoic acid (EPA) inhibit cell growth. (2) Unlike valproate, the omega-3-fatty acids increased intracellular inositol. Conclusions: (1) Inositol depletion in yeast is a good screening test for potential new anti-bipolar drugs that affect intracellular inositol levels. (2) The omega-3-fatty acids DHA and EPA are potential anti-bipolar drugs that may be effective in treating the depressive phase of the disorder.