title: Anxiolytic-like effects of human amniotic fluid and its fatty acids in Wistar rats.
abstract: Odors from amniotic fluid produce signs of calmness in mammals suggesting some anxiolytic-like properties. Experimental models, such as the defensive burying, elevated plus maze, and open field tests offer well-controlled approaches to the study of putative anxiolytic substances using rats. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, we first identified eight fatty acids (lauric, myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, oleic, elaidic, and linoleic acids) as consistently present in human amniotic fluid. We then used the defensive burying and elevated plus maze tests to compare the action of diazepam (2 mg/kg), fresh amniotic fluid, and a mixture of its fatty acids with two vehicles (i.e. propylene glycol and centrifuged amniotic fluid with a low fatty acid content). No significant differences in estradiol or progesterone content were found between fresh amniotic fluid and centrifuged amniotic fluid using the microparticle enzyme immunoassay. Compared with the vehicle, diazepam, fresh amniotic fluid, and the fatty acid mixture increased burying latency, reduced cumulative burying, and increased the time spent in the open arms of the elevated plus maze in both sexes without altering general locomotor activity. We conclude that the fatty acids contained in human amniotic fluid exert anxiolytic-like effects, with minimal or no participation of female gonadal steroids.
authors.affiliation: Unidad Periférica Xalapa, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Xalapa, Veracruz, México. ccontreras@uv.mx
authors.forename: Carlos M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Contreras
authors.forename: Juan Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Landa
authors.forename: Ana G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-García
authors.forename: M Remedios
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mendoza-López
authors.forename: Rosa Isela
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: García-Ríos
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cueto-Escobedo
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D004031:Diestrus / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004644:Emotions; D004958:Estradiol / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D009043:Motor Activity; D011374:Progesterone / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D005227:Fatty Acids; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D003975:Diazepam