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. 2019 Nov;236(11):3353-3362.
doi: 10.1007/s00213-019-05294-0. Epub 2019 Jun 7.

Additive interaction between scopolamine and nitric oxide agents on immobility in the forced swim test but not exploratory activity in the hole-board

Mohammad Nasehi  1 , Mohammad-Hossein Mohammadi-Mahdiabadi-Hasani  2 , Mohaddeseh Ebrahimi-Ghiri  3 , Mohammad-Reza Zarrindast  2   4   5   6
Affiliations

Additive interaction between scopolamine and nitric oxide agents on immobility in the forced swim test but not exploratory activity in the hole-board

Mohammad Nasehi et al. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2019 Nov.

Abstract

Rationale: The muscarinic cholinergic antagonist scopolamine has received an attention due to its unique antidepressant effects. However, the considerable adverse effects on nervous system limit the use of scopolamine as a psychiatric drug.

Objective: In order to overcome the limitations and increase the therapeutic effects of scopolamine, we decided to examine the effects of joint administration of sub-effective dose of scopolamine and the sub-effective dose of a nitric oxide (NO) precursor L-Arginine or a non-selective nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor L-NAME on depression- and anxiety-related behaviors in male NMRI mice.

Methods: To this aim, animal behavior was assessed in the forced swim test (FST) and hole-board apparatus.

Results: Scopolamine (0.05 mg/kg) significantly decreased immobility time in the FST, suggesting an antidepressant-like effect. Moreover, L-Arginine (50 mg/kg) produced an antidepressant-like response in the FST and decreased head-dip counts in the hole-board apparatus, indicating an anxiety-like effect. The same doses of scopolamine and L-Arginine decreased the locomotor activity in mice. Joint administration of sub-effective dose of scopolamine (0.01 mg/kg) with a low dose of L-Arginine (25 mg/kg) or L-NAME (1 mg/kg) induced a profound antidepressant-like effect in the FST. These drug combinations did not influence on anxiety-related behaviors. Meanwhile, L-NAME alone did not alter the performance of mice in the FST and hole-board. Isobolographic analysis revealed an additive effect for scopolamine and L-Arginine or L-NAME.

Conclusion: Data suggests that NO agents could positively impact the therapeutic profile of scopolamine, because they might be useful for inducing antidepressant-like effect associated to scopolamine.

Keywords: Depression- and anxiety-related behaviors; L-Arginine; L-NAME; Mice; Scopolamine.

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