Evidence that piracetam has an anxiolytic action.
In the social interaction test of anxiety Piracetam (100 mg/kg) had an anxiolytic profile very similar to that seen after 5 days of administration of chlordiazepoxide (5 mg/kg). Piracetam (50-300 mg/kg) produced no signs of sedation and it was therefore suggested that it might be a non-sedative anxiolytic drug. Piracetam (100 mg/kg) produced significantly higher cortical concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine and lower concentrations of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, indicating a reduced 5-HT turnover. There were no drug-induced changes in noradrenaline or dopamine in any brain region, either with or without pretreatment with alpha-methylparatyrosine. The cortical concentrations of 7 amino acids were measured and were unchanged by treatment with Piracetam.
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D002707:Chlordiazepoxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000032:analysis; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008781:Methyltyrosines / Q000494:pharmacology; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000032:analysis; D010889:Piracetam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D012701:Serotonin / Q000032:analysis; D012919:Social Behavior; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
D000596:Amino Acids; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D008781:Methyltyrosines; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D002707:Chlordiazepoxide; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine; D010889:Piracetam