title: Anxiolytic and anxiogenic drug effects on exploratory activity in an elevated plus-maze: a novel test of anxiety in the rat.
abstract: The current studies further investigated the effects, in animal models of anxiety, of novel putative anxiolytic and anxiogenic compounds believed to induce their effects by actions at the GABA-benzodiazepine receptor complex. It was expected that the results would also provide further validation for a novel test of anxiety based on the ratio of open to closed arm entries in an elevated plus maze in the rat. The novel putative anxiolytics CL 218,872 (10-20 mg/kg) and tracazolate (5 mg/kg) significantly elevated the percentage of time spent on the open arms of an elevated plus-maze, consistent with their anxiolytic activity in several other animal tests. Also consistent with results from other animal tests, no anxiolytic activity was observed for the phenylquinoline PK 8165 (10-25 mg/kg), the 3,4-benzodiazepine tofisopam (25-50 mg/kg), or buspirone (0.5-20 mg/kg). The benzodiazepine receptor inverse agonists FG 7142 (1-5 mg/kg) and CGS 8216 (3-10 mg/kg) had anxiogenic activity in this test, as did the atypical benzodiazepine Ro 5-4864 (1-5 mg/kg). Interestingly, however, the benzodiazepine receptor antagonists Ro 15-1788 (10-20 mg/kg) and ZK 93426 (5-10 mg/kg) had no anxiogenic activity in this test.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pellow
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: File
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000494:pharmacology; D001570:Benzodiazepinones / Q000494:pharmacology; D002065:Buspirone; D002243:Carbolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D003292:Convulsants / Q000494:pharmacology; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D005442:Flumazenil; D008297:Male; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011804:Quinolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001570:Benzodiazepinones; D002243:Carbolines; D003292:Convulsants; D011720:Pyrazoles; D011724:Pyridazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D011804:Quinolines; D001569:Benzodiazepines; C028513:4'-chlorodiazepam; D005442:Flumazenil; C035874:FG 7142; C021604:CL 218872; C033830:2-phenylpyrazolo(4,3-c)quinolin-3(5H)-one; C042568:ZK 93426; C030078:pipequaline; C034317:tracazolate; D002065:Buspirone; C012582:tofisopam