Effects of high and low doses of Donepezil in female and male mice in staircase test

ABSTRACT

This study is aimed at investigating if donepezil [DO], which is used in Alzheimer disease, has also an anxiolytic activity or not in the staircase test in mice.To carry out this investigation, male and female mice weighing 20-34 g, were divided in groups of ten. DO was investigated at following doses 5 mg/kg/day and 10 mg/kg/day, administered PO only once for 4 days and 60 minutes before the test on the 5th day. The effects of acute administrations were also investigated when DO [5 mg/kg/day and 10 mg/kg/day] was administered only once, 60 minutes before the test, to animals which had previously received the same number of administrations of distilled water. Diazepam [2 mg/kg PO], which is administered acutely in the same conditions, was used as a reference compound. The animals in the control group received distilled water at each administration. The behavioural parameter measured was the number of steps climbed during a 3-minute test. Following the measurements, the results obtained were compared statistically. In male mice the number of steps climbed were increased by DO administration, but significant differences were shown at only high doses of DO administration. There are no significant differences in the number of steps climbed by female mice. Our results showed that DO might also have an anxiolytic activity at high doses