title: Agmatine attenuates chronic unpredictable mild stress induced behavioral alteration in mice.
abstract: Chronic stress exposure and resulting dysregulation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis develops susceptibility to variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Agmatine, a putative neurotransmitter has been reported to be released in response to various stressful stimuli to maintain the homeostasis. Present study investigated the role of agmatine on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) induced behavioral and biochemical alteration in mice. Exposure of mice to CUMS protocol for 28 days resulted in diminished performance in sucrose preference test, splash test, forced swim test and marked elevation in plasma corticosterone levels. Chronic agmatine (5 and 10 mg/kg, ip, once daily) treatment started on day-15 and continued till the end of the CUMS protocol significantly increased sucrose preference, improved self-care and motivational behavior in the splash test and decreased duration of immobility in the forced swim test. Agmatine treatment also normalized the elevated corticosterone levels and prevented the body weight changes in chronically stressed animals. The pharmacological effect of agmatine was comparable to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, fluoxetine (10mg/kg, ip). Results of present study clearly demonstrated the anti-depressant like effect of agmatine in chronic unpredictable mild stress induced depression in mice. Thus the development of drugs based on brain agmatinergic modulation may represent a new potential approach for the treatment of stress related mood disorders like depression.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, Shrimati Kishoritai Bhoyar College of Pharmacy, New Kamptee, Nagpur 441002, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Brijesh G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Taksande
authors.forename: Dharmesh S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Faldu
authors.forename: Madhura P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dixit
authors.forename: Jay N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Sakaria
authors.forename: Manish M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Aglawe
authors.forename: Milind J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Umekar
authors.forename: Nandkishor R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Kotagale
mesh_terms: D000376:Agmatine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009042:Motivation / Q000187:drug effects; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D012648:Self Care; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D013395:Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013550:Swimming
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D013395:Sucrose; D000376:Agmatine; D003345:Corticosterone
keywords: Agmatine; Anhedonia; CUMS; Depression; FST; Splash test