The putative antipsychotic alstonine reverses social interaction withdrawal in mice.

Abstract

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia are particularly problematic due to their deleterious impact on a patient's social life. The indol alkaloid alstonine, the major component of traditional remedies used for treating mental illnesses in Nigeria, presents a clear antipsychotic-like profile in mice, as well as anxiolytic properties. Considering that social interaction is the core of negative symptoms, and that anxiolytic drugs can improve social interaction behavior, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of alstonine in the social interaction and MK801-induced social withdrawal models in mice. Sub-chronic (but not acute) treatment with alstonine 0.5 mg/kg (but not 1.0 mg/kg) significantly increased social interaction in mice. Moreover, MK801-induced social withdrawal was completely prevented by sulpiride (10 mg/kg) and alstonine 1.0 mg/kg, and partially prevented by alstonine 0.5 mg/kg. The study indicates that alstonine not only increases social interaction in normal mice, but also averts social deficits attributable to negative symptoms of schizophrenia. This study reinforces and complements the antipsychotic-like profile of alstonine, and emphasizes its potential as a drug useful for the management of negative symptoms in schizophrenia.

• Authors: Viviane de Moura Linck, Ana Paula Herrmann, Greice Catrine Goerck, Maurice M Iwu, Christopher O Okunji, Mirna Bainy Leal, Elaine Elisabetsky
• Journal: Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry (Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry) Vol. 32 Issue 6 Pg. 1449-52 (Aug 01 2008) ISSN: 0278-5846 [Print] England
• PMID: 18539376 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Anxiety Agents
• Antipsychotic Agents
• Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
• Secologanin Tryptamine Alkaloids
• Dizocilpine Maleate
• Sulpiride
• serpentine (alkaloid)
• Clozapine
• Haloperidol

Topics

• Animals
• Anti-Anxiety Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antipsychotic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Clozapine (therapeutic use)
• Dizocilpine Maleate
• Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
• Haloperidol (therapeutic use)
• Interpersonal Relations
• Male
• Mice
• Motor Activity (drug effects)
• Secologanin Tryptamine Alkaloids (therapeutic use)
• Social Behavior Disorders (chemically induced, drug therapy, psychology)
• Sulpiride (therapeutic use)