Involvement of the serotonergic system in the anxiolytic-like effect caused by m-trifluoromethyl-diphenyl diselenide in mice

The organoselenium compound Biphenyl diselenide (PhSe)(2) has shown interesting antioxidant and neuroprotective activities On the other hand, this compound has also presented some toxic effects m-Trifluoromethyl-Biphenyl diselenide (m-CF3-C6H4Se)(2), a structural analog of (PhSe)(2), has proven to be antipsychotic and antioxidant in mice. The present study was designed to investigate the anxiolytic-like effect of (m-CF3-C6H4Se)(2) in female mice. employing light/dark box and elevated plus-maze (EPM) tests. The involvement of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors and monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in the anxiolytic-like effect was also evaluated. (m-CF3-C6H4Se)(2) (0.1, 10 and 100 mg/kg, p o) did not affect locomotor activity as evaluated in the open-field test (OFT) (m-CF3-CH4Se)(2) at the dose of 100 mg/kg produced an anxiolytic-like action, both in light-dark box and the EPM tests. To evaluate the role of 5-HT receptors in the anxiolytic-like effect of (m-CF3-C6H4Se)(2). a selective 5-HT receptors antagonist. WAY100635 (0.1 mg/kg. s c.), a non-selective 5-HT2A/2c receptor antagonist, ritanserin (2 mg/kg, i.p.) and a selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, ondansetron (0.1 mg/kg, 1p) were used All the antagonists used were able to abolish the anxiolytic-like effect of (m-CF3-C6H4Se)(2) (m-CF3-C6H4Se)(2), at the dose of 100 mg/kg, inhibited the MAO-A activity in mice brain. Taken together these data demonstrated that the anxiolytic-like effect caused by (m-CF3-C6H4Se)(2) seems to be mediated by the involvement of the serotonergic system. (C) 2009 Elsevier B V All rights reserved