Neurobehavioral effects of biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate in rats

ABSTRACT

The present study aimed at evaluating the possible potential of DDB to affect behavior and exploring the corresponding changes in brain monoamines levels. The work was conducted using adult male Sprague-Dawely rats. Animals were classified into three groups. Group I given a relatively low dose [50 mg/Kg] of DDB, group II given a higher dose [100 mg/Kg] of DDB, while group III given vehicle and served as control. Doses were given daily along 14 consecutive days using an oral gavage. The estimated behavioral parameters were locomotion and neuromuscular co-ordination [open field test and swimming test], exploration and curiosity [evasion test], learning and memory [conditioned avoidance response], depression and despair [forced swimming test], aggressive behavior and sociability [isolation technique, home cage observation and resident intruder paradigm]. In addition, brain monamines levels, namely Dopamine [DA], Norepinephrine [NE] and Serotonin [5-HT] were evaluated in various brain regions spectrophotoflourimetrically. DDB clearly affected animals' behavior, manifested by significant increase of locomotor and exploratory activities with a parallel enhancement of cognition, learning and memory. In addition, DDB possessed a positive effect on the animals' aggressiveness and hostility, which was correlated with significant modifications of monoamines levels in various brain regions, especially DA and NE levels. The obtained results show that DDB possesses a significant potential as a behaviorally active drug. They point to the possibility of using DDB as a tonic and/or stimulant medication to enhance motor co-ordination, cognition and memory. Furthermore, DDB might be clinically valuable as an anxiolytic or antidepressant treatment according to the dose administrated