Anxiolytic Effects of Harmine Injection on Elevated Plus-Maze Behavior in Male Wistar Rats

摘要

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of acute administration of carboline harmine on thebehavioral of rats exposed to chronic mild stress (CMS) procedure. To develop this study we used 60 animalsdivided into six groups as follows: (G1) non- stressed- Saline. (G2) non-stressed-Amitriptyline; (G3)non- stressed - Harmine; (G4) stressed- Saline; (G5) stressed-Amitriptyline; (G6) stressed- Harmine. After30 days of exposure to CMS, rats were treated with harmine (15 mg/kg/day) and amitriptyline (20 mg/kg) for7 days. After treatment period, the rats were subjected to the elevated plus- maze test and sucrose preferencetest (SPT). Our results demonstrated that CMS procedures induced anhedonia, a decrease in the number ofentries and time spent in the open arms without affecting the number of entries either the time spent in closedarmson EPM apparatus. Harmine and Amitriptyline treatment reversed anhedonia, increased the number ofentries and the time spent on open arms. Finally, we concluded that harmine could be used to improvedepressive disorders.