title: Antidepressant-like effects of N-acetyl-L-cysteine in rats.
abstract: Oxidative stress disturbances have been reported in depressed patients and in animals submitted to stress. Recent evidence suggests that antidepressants may have antioxidant properties. However, the therapeutic potential of antioxidants as antidepressant drugs has not been systematically investigated. Therefore, this study tested the hypothesis that N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a cysteine prodrug with powerful antioxidant activity, would possess antidepressant-like properties in the forced swimming test. Male Wistar rats were subjected to 15 min of forced swimming and immediately afterward, 5, and 23 h later received intraperitoneal injections of NAC (5, 15, 50, 150, and 250 mg/kg), imipramine, (15 mg/kg) or vehicle. One hour later they were submitted to the 5 min test swimming session, where immobility time was recorded. Independent groups of animals received the same treatments and their exploratory activity was measured in an open arena for 5 min. NAC (at the doses of 15, 50, and 150 mg/kg) and imipramine induced a significant decrease in immobility time without changing exploratory behavior measured in an open arena. These results suggest that antioxidants such as NAC may have antidepressant effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. ferreirafr@usp.br
authors.forename: Frederico R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Biojone
authors.forename: Sâmia R L
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Joca
authors.forename: Francisco S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Guimarães
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004924:Escape Reaction / Q000187:drug effects*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007099:Imipramine / Q000494:pharmacology; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013550:Swimming
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D007099:Imipramine; D000111:Acetylcysteine