Hyperfunction of brain 5-hydroxytryptamine2C (5-HT2C) receptor is suggested to be involved in anxiety as evidenced by fact that a putative 5-HT2C receptor agonist 1-(m-chlorophenyl)-piperazine (m-CPP) causes anxiety in humans. Agomelatine with its 5-HT2C antagonistic properties, represents a new concept for treatment of anxiety. The anxiolytic potential of agomelatine (10, 30, 100 mg/kg, p.o.) was evaluated and compared with diazepam (1 mg/kg, i.p.) using elevated plus maze (EPM), light dark apparatus (LDA), Hole board apparatus (HBA), open field apparatus (OFA), marble burying test (MBT) and social interaction test (SI). In addition, anxiolytic potential of agomelatine (10, 30 mg/kg, p.o.) was also evaluated by using m-CPP (1 mg/kg, i.p.) in all above models, m-CPP (7 mg/kg, i.p.) induced hypolocomotion and m-CPP (5 mg/kg, i.p.) induced hypophagia. In EPM, LDA, HBA, OFA, MBT and SI agomelatine significantly (p<0.05) increased time spent in open arm, entries in open arm, time spent in light zone, light dark transitions, number of head dips, duration of head dips, number of squares traversed, number of marbles buried and time spent in social interaction respectively. Agomelatine significantly (p<0.05) inhibited the hypolocomotion and hypophagia induced by m-CPP. Our results suggest that agomelatine, a 5-HT2C receptor antagonist may have therapeutic potential for treatment of anxiety.
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