Effect of Thioxypine and Its Components on Behavioral Despair in Potential Antidepressant Screening Tests

The effect of thioxypine (2-ethyl-6-methylpyridinol-3-yl thioctate) and its acyl and alcohol components on the duration of behavioral despair (BD) in the mouse tail suspension test according to L. Steru, et al. and the forced swimming test of mice and rats according to R. Porsolt, et al. was studied. Amitriptyline (a reference antidepressant) was used as a reference BD-contractor. The impact of the substances being studied on the behavior of mice in the open-field test was additionally evaluated to provide a control of false-positive and false-negative results. Ambiguous effects of the studied substances on the duration of BD were revealed. The direction of the changes depended on the stress generated in the used tests. Thioxypine, unlike its free components, was shown to lack thymoanaleptic potential although it had a sedative effect due to its acyl (thioctyl) fragment. The prospects of further studying the psychotropic action of thioxypine with an emphasis on identification of its possible tranquilizing and antipsychotic activity were considered.