title: An anti-immobility effect of spermine in the forced swim test in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spermine is one of the naturally occurring ligands that influence the function of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor. Similar to other endogenous polyamines present in micromolar concentration in the brain, it may play a role in the modulation of depression. Thus, the present study investigated the suggested antidepressant effect of spermine.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mouse forced swim test (FST) was used as a reliable tool that allowed us to determine the antidepressant activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Spermine, administered intracerebroventricularly (icv), significantly and dose-dependently reduced the immobility time in the FST within the dose range of 5-20 μg without changing the spontaneous locomotor activity. The pre-treatment of the animals with ifenprodil (an antagonist of the polyamine binding site of the NMDA receptor), given intraperitoneally at a dose of 20mg/kg, thoroughly reversed the anti-immobility effect of spermine (5 μg, icv).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our preliminary study revealed the anti-immobility activity of centrally administered spermine in the FST in mice, with a probable involvement of the polyamine-binding site at the NMDA receptor complex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Sylwia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wośko
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serefko
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Sk?odowska University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Socała
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Bernadeta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Szewczyk
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Gynecology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wróbel
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland; Department of Pharmacobiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Sk?odowska University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wlaź
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: ewa.poleszak@umlub.pl.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Poleszak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000502:physiology; D013096:Spermine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013550:Swimming
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D010880:Piperidines; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D013096:Spermine; C010739:ifenprodil
keywords: Anti-immobility effect; Forced swimming test; Mice; NMDA receptors; Spermine