Anxiolytic Effect of a Novel 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonist (4-Phenylpiperazin-1-yl)(Quinoxalin-2-yl) Methanone (4a) in a Battery of Behavioral Models for Anxiety in Mice

Abstract

The serotonergic system of brain is well understood to play a crucial role in emotional processing in human and animals. 5-HT3 receptor, the ion channel type of receptor is involved in mood, anxiety, depression, learning and memory. Objective of the present work was to investigate the anxiolytic potential of a novel 5-HT3 receptor antagonist (4-phenylpiperazin-1-yl) (quinoxalin-2-yl) methanone (4a) in mice. Different behavioral test paradigms for anxiety like elevated plus maze, open field test, light-dark model and hole board test were used for assessing the effect. Diazepam 2 mg/kg i.p. served as a reference standard. From the results it was found that 4a dose dependently at 2 and 4 mg/kg i.p. attenuated the behavioral alterations in the anxiety models in mice. The exact mechanism of 5- HT3 receptor antagonist for anxiolytic potential is still ill understood. Our further studies will deal with mechanisms at molecular levels for anxiolytic potential of 4a