title: Investigating the role of nisoldipine in foot-shock-induced post-traumatic stress disorder in mice.
abstract: This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of nisoldipine, an L-type voltage-sensitive calcium channel blocker, to ameliorate anxiety and fear response in a mouse model of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Acute trauma was induced in Swiss albino mice in a 2-day electric foot-shock paradigm consisting of 15 intermittent foot-shocks of 0.8 mA intensity, 10-s duration and 10-s intershock interval, during 5 min, followed by 3 weekly situational reminders, that is, once per week in the same context on three successive weeks. PTSD-induced behavioral changes were assessed using actophotometer, open-field, social interaction test, and freezing behavior. Biochemically, the serum corticosterone levels were estimated. Electric foot-shock and situational reminders produced behavioral alterations and decreased corticosterone levels, assessed on the 21st day following the traumatic event. Administration of sertraline (Ser 15 mg/kg), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and nisoldipine (20 and 40 mg/kg), significantly attenuated the foot-shock-trauma-induced behavioral changes along with normalization of the corticosterone levels. It may be concluded that nisoldipine produces beneficial effects in re-establishing behavioral alterations, which may be due to normalization of reduced corticosterone levels in PTSD in mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, Punjabi University, Patiala, 147002, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Meenu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, Punjabi University, Patiala, 147002, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Anjana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bali
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, Punjabi University, Patiala, 147002, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Nirmal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, Punjabi University, Patiala, 147002, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Amteshwar S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Jaggi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004597:Electroshock / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D015737:Nisoldipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020280:Sertraline / Q000494:pharmacology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D015737:Nisoldipine; D020280:Sertraline; D003345:Corticosterone
keywords: Electric foot-shock; PTSD; behavior; corticosterone; nisoldipine