Chronic inositol treatment reduces depression-like immobility of Flinders Sensitive Line rats in the forced swim test.
Inositol, a precursor of the PIP cycle that was reported to have therapeutic effects in depressive patients and to be effective in two animal models of depression, was evaluated in the forced swim test using the genetic Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) rats model of depression. Groups of rats were tested in a 2 x 2 design with Strain (FSL or Control) as one factor and Drug (Inositol or Placebo) as the second factor. Rats received chronic treatment (daily for 14 days) with inositol (1.2 g/kg) or placebo (1:2 glucose/mannitol solution). On day 14 rats were exposed to the forced swim test for 5 min and their behavior videotaped. Tapes were analyzed for three levels of activity: immobility, swimming, and vigorous struggle. Inositol countered the exaggerated immobility of FSL rats in the forced swim test, without affecting control animals. Data support our previous suggestion of inositol as a potential antidepressant.
Einat
Haim
H
Beer Sheva Mental Health Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
Belmaker
Robert H
RH
Zangen
Avraham
A
Overstreet
D H
DH
Yadid
Gal
G
D000818:Animals; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D018476:Hypokinesia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007294:Inositol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013550:Swimming
D012701:Serotonin; D007294:Inositol