title: Effects of 5-HT4 receptor antagonists on rat behaviour in the elevated plus-maze test.
abstract: The anxiolytic-like effects of a variety of 5-HT receptor agonists and antagonists have been intensively studied in animal models. However, no direct effects of agents modulating 5-HT4 receptors have been reported, in spite of their suggestive location in the brain. The objective of the present study was the determination of the effects of two selective 5-HT4 receptor antagonists, SB 204070 [1-butyl-4-piperidinylmethyl)-8-amino-7-chloro-1,4-benzodioxan-5-carboxylate] and GR 113808 [[1-[2-methylsulphonyl)amino]ethyl]-4-piperidinyl]methyl 1-methyl-1 H-indole-3-carboxylate], in the elevated plus-maze test in rats. Results have shown that both 5-HT4 receptor antagonists exhibit an anxiolytic-like profile, although only at the dose of 1.0 mg/kg (s.c.). At this dose, both compounds significantly increased the percentage of time spent in open arms exploration, while other variables evaluated remained unaffected at the dose range tested. Results suggest that 5-HT4 receptor antagonists could have some anxiolytic-like properties, although their effects seem more limited and less consistent than those presented by classic anxiolytics, such as diazepam. However, they are similar to those exhibited by granisetron [endo-1-methyl-N-(9-methyl-9-azabicyclo[3.3.1]non-3-yl)-1 H-indazole-3-carboxamide], a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Research Centre, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Silvestre
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Palacios
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D004146:Dioxanes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D017829:Granisetron / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D003975:Diazepam; D004146:Dioxanes; D017829:Granisetron; D007211:Indoles; D010880:Piperidines; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D013449:Sulfonamides; C084858:SB 204070A; C082871:GR 113808