Effect of the selective 5-HT7 receptor antagonist SB 269970 in animal models of anxiety and depression

Neuropharmacology. 2006 Sep;51(3):578-86. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2006.04.017. Epub 2006 Jul 7.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of the selective 5-HT7 receptor antagonist SB 269970 (0.25-20 mg/kg) in the behavioral tests commonly used for predicting anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like activity. Diazepam and imipramine were used as standard drugs. SB 269970 (in one medium dose of 0.5 or 1 mg/kg) exerted a specific antianxiety-like effect in the Vogel drinking test in rats, in the elevated plus-maze test in rats and in the four-plate test in mice. Moreover, SB 269970 (in one medium dose of 5 or 10 mg/kg) showed antidepressant-like activity in the forced swimming and the tail suspension tests in mice. At the same time, the tested compound at doses of 1-20 mg/kg did not change the spontaneous locomotor activity of mice. The potential anxiolytic and antidepressant effects produced by SB 269970 were weaker than those of the reference drugs employed. It is noteworthy that the active doses of SB 269970 were devoid of any visible motor side-effects. In conclusion, the results of our studies indicate that 5-HT7 receptor antagonists may play a role in the therapy of both anxiety and depression.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Anti-Anxiety Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / therapeutic use
  • Anxiety / drug therapy*
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Conflict, Psychological
  • Depression / drug therapy*
  • Diazepam / therapeutic use
  • Differential Threshold / drug effects
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drinking Behavior / drug effects
  • Hindlimb Suspension / methods
  • Imipramine / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Maze Learning / drug effects
  • Motor Activity / drug effects
  • Phenols / therapeutic use*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Receptors, Serotonin / physiology
  • Serotonin Antagonists / therapeutic use*
  • Sulfonamides / therapeutic use*
  • Swimming

Substances

  • Anti-Anxiety Agents
  • Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic
  • Phenols
  • Receptors, Serotonin
  • SB 269970
  • Serotonin Antagonists
  • Sulfonamides
  • serotonin 7 receptor
  • Imipramine
  • Diazepam