Treating panic attacks with an antibiotic may seem unlikely, but a study by researchers at the Universidade Estadual Paulista and the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro points precisely in that direction.
The investigation, published in , concluded that small doses of minocycline, an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections, can help reduce symptoms associated with panic attacks.
According to researchers, the results observed were similar to those obtained with clonazepam, medicine frequently used to treat anxiety and panic attacks.
The study involved 49 people diagnosed with panic disorder. During the experiment, participants were exposed to carbon dioxide to trigger feelings similar to those of a panic attacksuch as shortness of breath and a feeling of suffocation.
Some of the participants received the antibiotic and another took clonazepam.
The results showed that Those who took minocycline had a reduction in the intensity of panic attacks.
Possible explanation
According to researchers, this effect may be related to the anti-inflammatory action of minocycline when administered in low doses.
According to the researchers, this effect may be due to the fact that minocycline, in addition to fighting infections, also has an anti-inflammatory effect when used in low doses.
As during a panic attack, inflammation occurs in nerve cells, the use of antibiotics in a reduced dose helps to reduce this inflammation and thus alleviate the intensity of symptoms.
