title: Anxiolytic effect of agmatine in rats and mice.
abstract: In mammalian brain, agmatine is an endogenous neurotransmitter and/or neuromodulator. In this study, the anxiolytic action of agmatine (p.o. or s.c.) was evaluated in three animal behavioral models in mice or rats. In the light-dark transition test, agmatine in a single dose (80 mg/kg, s.c) or repeated administration (20 mg/kg, s.c. or 10 mg/kg, p.o., once a day for 3 days) significantly increased the number of light-dark transitions in mice. Furthermore, treatment with agmatine (20-80 mg/kg, s.c or 10-40 mg/kg, p.o) three times in 24 h significantly increased the number of licks in the Vogel's drinking conflict test in rats. In the social interaction test, agmatine (10-40 mg/kg, p.o, three times in 24 h prior to test) increased the active social interaction of rats. All these results indicate that agmatine exerts a significant anxiolytic effect in both rats and mice.
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China.
authors.forename: Zheng-Hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Yun-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Hong-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Rui-Bin
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Zhi-Pu
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000376:Agmatine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003624:Darkness; D004326:Drinking / Q000187:drug effects; D004597:Electroshock; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000376:Agmatine