Behavioral effects of sinomenine in murine models of anxiety.
The present study was designed to investigate the putative anxiolytic-like effect of sinomenine in three experimental models of anxiety in male rats and mice. Use of the elevated plus-maze test revealed that sinomenine (20 and 40 mg/kg, p.o.) increased the percentage of open arm entries and diazepam (2 mg/kg, p.o.) increased the percentage of open arm entries, the percentage of time spent on open arms and total arm entries in mice. In the light/dark transition test, sinomenine (20 and 40 mg/kg, p.o.) increased time spent in the light area and diazepam (2 mg/kg, p.o.) increased time spent in the light area and the overall movements in mice. In the social interaction test, the sinomenine-treated animals significantly increased social interaction time in low light unfamiliar (7 mg/kg, p.o.) and high light unfamiliar conditions (7 and 14 mg/kg, p.o.) as well as diazepam (3 mg/kg, p.o.). Sinomenine (28 mg/kg, p.o.) can also decrease squares entered in rats in social interaction test under low light unfamiliar condition. In the open-field test, sinomenine (160 mg/kg) decreased squares entered in mice. Thus, these findings indicated that sinomenine exhibited anxiolytic-like effect.
Chen
Si Wei
SW
Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Box 41, 110016 Shenyang, P.R. China. c100sw@yahoo.com
Mi
Xiao Juan
XJ
Wang
Rui
R
Wang
Wen Juan
WJ
Kong
Wei Xi
WX
Zhang
Yi Jing
YJ
Li
Yu Lei
YL
D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D003624:Darkness; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D009019:Morphinans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012919:Social Behavior; D013045:Species Specificity
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D009019:Morphinans; C009271:sinomenine