Influence of long-term treatment with tuftsin analogue TP-7 on the anxiety-phobic states and body weight

TP-7 is a synthetic analogue of tuftsin. It has a structure of tuftsin, to which three natural L-amino-acids Pro-Gly-Pro are attached. This heptapeptide improves learning and memorization and causes antidepressant and anxiolytic effect. It is possible to use TP-7 in the future to optimize cognitive functions and as a potential new anxioselective, fast-acting and easy-dosed drug. Therefore, it was purposeful to study such properties of the heptapeptide as its influence on anxiety-fear and body weight under a long-term treatment regimen. The experiment was performed on 24 preselected Wistar rats with the use of Rodina's method. There were three experimental groups of animals with high initial emotional reactivity: passive control group (P), active control group (A, receiving distilled water) and group treated with TP-7 at the dose of 0.3 mg/kg (T). The rats of A and T groups received intraperitoneal injections every day. The experiments were conducted 15 min after the administration of the drug, one and two days after initial testing day, then 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after that. The heptapeptide reduced the anxiety-phobic states significantly starting from the second day of drug application. The observed effects persisted throughout four weeks of the experiment, which confirmed effective long-term anxiolytic properties of the heptapeptide. TP-7 did not cause any changes in the body mass by itself.

The influence of diazepam on the behaviour of rabbits in spontaneous conditions

The study dealt with a popular drug diazepam also known as Relanium. Two doses of the substance were tested: 0.2 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg. The experiment was carried out on 10-rabbit groups for two hours. The animals were observed in peaceful environment of the laboratory after one hour of adaptation. There were distinguished a few phases of behaviour: active and passive observation, comfort, tension, grooming, food and water intake. Both doses eliminated completely the tension phase. Changes in other phases were similar to each other but depending on the dose there were differences in strength and duration. The smaller dose caused significant prolongation of the comfort phase at the expense of active and passive observation time decrease during the first hour of observation. The second hour trends were not changed but lost their statistical relevance. The changes caused by the bigger dose were almost identical and they were statistically significant during both hours of the experiment, but their amplitude was stronger than that caused by the lower dose. The outcome of the experiment confirms anxiolytic, sedative and miorelaxant properties of diazepam.

The influence of the new benzodiazepine derivative BD-1158 on the behaviour of rabbits in spontaneous conditions

BD-1158 is a new 1,4 benzodiazepine derivative. The purpose of the present experiments was to test the spontaneous behaviour (typical of a rabbit) after administration of BD-1158 and thus to define the activity and side effects of this substance under physiological conditions. The experiments were performed for 3 subsequent days in a group of 10 rabbits. On the first day spontaneous behaviour was tested. On the second day 1 ml of 1% starch solution was administered intraperitoneally. On the third day BD-1158 was administered intraperitoneally at a dose 10 mg/kg diluted in 1% starch solution up to 1 ml, 35-40 minutes before the beginning of the experiment. Six phases of behaviour were estimated. It was concluded that BD-1158 has a strong anxiolytic and sedative effect, decreases the state of animal's attention, water and food uptake.

Changes in rabbits' behaviour under the influence of corticotropin derivative analogue 4-10 in spontaneous conditions

The influence and the role of corticotrophin analogue 4-10 on the rabbits' behaviour in spontaneous conditions was analysed. The data analysis indicated that analogue 4-10 with modified aminoacid sequence in 8, 9, 10 positions significantly influenced the behavioural changes in the general model of behaviour. The 4-10 corticotrophin derivative caused the suppression of aggression, considerably reduced the tension and orientation-cognition reactions, however, it prolonged comfort and grooming significantly. This may prove the noticeable reaction of analogue 4-10 in modification of behavioural pattern, which was expressed by restraining the reaction of stressogenic character with simultaneous attenuation and prolongation of appetite reactions.