Enhancing effects of Ro 15-1788 on straw-climbing behavior as measured with the straw-suspension method: reversal by diazepam.
Ro 15-1788 (0.5, 1, 5, or 20 mg/kg), a pure benzodiazepine receptor antagonist, was studied for its effect on the duration of immobility and the number of straw-climbing attempts in a modified forced-swim test with straw-suspension of rats. A single dose of 20 mg/kg of Ro 15-1788 injected IP prolonged only the duration of immobility with no effect on straw-climbing behavior, whereas both doses of 1 and 5 mg/kg of this compound significantly enhanced the number of straw-climbing attempts in an inverted U-shaped manner. Ro 15-1788 at 1 mg/kg significantly reversed the inhibitory effect of 1 mg/kg of diazepam on the number of straw-climbing attempts. It is suggested that the enhancing effect of low doses of Ro 15-1788 on straw-climbing behavior can be regarded as an index of its anxiogenic effect, by acting via central benzodiazepine receptors.
Nishimura
H
H
Department of Pharmacology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan.
Ida
Y
Y
Tanaka
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005442:Flumazenil / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D005442:Flumazenil; D003975:Diazepam