Premium
Behavioral pharmacology of the pyrazoloquinoline CGS 9896, a novel putative anxiolytic
Author(s) -
File Sandra E.,
Pellow Sharon
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
drug development research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.582
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1098-2299
pISSN - 0272-4391
DOI - 10.1002/ddr.430070306
Subject(s) - picrotoxin , anxiolytic , anticonvulsant , pharmacology , diazepam , elevated plus maze , anxiety , psychology , chlordiazepoxide , medicine , epilepsy , neuroscience , receptor , gabaa receptor , psychiatry
Abstract CGS 9896, a pyrazoloquinoline that displaces [ 3 H]benzodiazepines from their CNS receptors, has been claimed to be a nonsedative anxiolytic in animals. However, conflicting results have been obtained with this compound in animal tests of anxiety and seizures. The present study reports the effects of CGS 9896 in three animal tests of anxiety, against seizures induced by picrotoxin and pentylenetetrazole, and on the holeboard test in rats. CGS 9896 (injected intraperitoneally) has an anxiolytic‐like activity in the social interaction test (5‐‐10 mg/kg) and in the elevated plus‐maze (10‐‐20 mg/kg) but not in the Vogel punished drinking procedure (5‐‐10 mg/kg). CGS 9896 had potent anticonvulsant effects against pentylenetetrazole (total protection at 5 mg/kg) but was considerably less potent against picrotoxin‐induced seizures (only 50% reduction at 40 mg/kg). CGS 9896 (10 mg/kg) caused significant reductions in spontaneous exploratory and locomotor behavior in the holeboard test in rats. In all test procedures, CGS 9896 was considerably less potent than the benzodiazepines diazepam or chlordiazepoxide. In conclusion, these data support the evidence suggesting that CGS 9896 possesses anxiolytic and anticonvulsant properties in rodents but suggest that caution should be observed in concluding that a compound is nonsedative on the basis of one or two measures.