title: Partial effects of the protein kinase C inhibitor chelerythrine in a battery of tests for manic-like behavior in black Swiss mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) was recently suggested as a novel approach for the development of mood stabilizing drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  To further evaluate this possibility, the aim of the present study was to test the effects of peripheral (intraperitoneal) administration of chelerythrine in a battery of mania-related behavioral tests in black Swiss mice, a strain specific battery that was previously demonstrated to distinguish differential effects of mood stabilizing drugs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sub-chronic administration of 1.0mg/kg or 2.0mg/kg chelerythrine had marginal effects to reduce spontaneous activity and sweet solution preference in black Swiss mice which naturally show mania-like behaviors. Chelerythrine had no effects on the behavior of these mice in the elevated plus-maze, the forced swim test and the amphetamine-induced hyperactivity test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The partial effects in the battery are not unique as previous studies showed that lithium, valproate and risperidone, all used in the treatment of bipolar disorder, have distinct profiles in the battery. It is therefore concluded that chelerythrine may have antimanic effects and additional dose and time response studies are warranted to further evaluate its range of activity.
authors.affiliation: School of Behavioral Sciences, Tel Aviv-Yaffo Academic College, Tel-Aviv, Israel; College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Duluth, USA; Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel. Electronic address: haimh@mta.ac.il.
authors.forename: Haim
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Einat
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D053119:Benzophenanthridines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000523:psychology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000187:drug effects; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D018692:Antimanic Agents; D053119:Benzophenanthridines; C016299:chelerythrine; D011493:Protein Kinase C
keywords: Bipolar disorder; Black Swiss mice; Depression; Mania; Protein kinase C