title: Ondansetron, a selective 5-HT3 antagonist, antagonizes methamphetamine-induced anorexia in mice.
abstract: Effects of some selective serotonergic (5-HT) antagonists on methamphetamine-induced anorexia were investigated in male mice. The least possible dose of methamphetamine alone that caused significant anorectic activity was 11 micromolkg(-1), i.p. (2 mgkg(-1)). Various doses of some selective serotonergic receptor antagonists were administered half an hour before the above mentioned dose of methamphetamine. Methiothepin potentiated, whereas NAN-190, methysergide, mianserin and ondansetron antagonized methamphetamine-induced anorectic activity. The least possible doses of these antagonists which modified methamphetamine-induced anorexia were as follows: methiothepin (1.1 micromolkg(-1), i.p.), NAN-190 (4.2 micromolkg(-1), i.p.), methysergide (2.1 micromolkg(-1), i.p.), mianserin (3.3 micromolkg(-1), i.p.) and ondansetron (0.003 micromolkg(-1), i.p.). The serotonergic antagonists at the above mentioned doses did not modify the food intake of animals not treated with methamphetamine, except for methiothepin, which produced a significant reduction, and mianserin, which produced a significant increase in food intake. The results of the present study indicated that the anorectic activity induced by methamphetamine is related to the interactions of methamphetamine with 5-HT receptor. Since a very small dose (0.003 micromolkg(-1)) of ondansetron (the 5-HT(3) antagonist), as compared with the other antagonists used in this study, antagonized the anorexia induced by methamphetamine, the 5-HT(3) receptor is likely to be the site for this interaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia. otginawi@hotmail.com
authors.forename: O T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Ginawi
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Majed
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Al-Suwailem
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000855:Anorexia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D017294:Ondansetron / Q000494:pharmacology*; D044406:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3 / Q000502:physiology; D058831:Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D044406:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3; D058831:Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D008694:Methamphetamine; D017294:Ondansetron