pentolame and Disease-Models--Animal

Estrogens of clinical use produce consistent antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects in animal models of menopause. Regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) or stress axis, has been proposed as a pathway through which estrogens improve affective-like behaviors. Anticoagulant 17β-aminoestrogens (17β-AEs) butolame and pentolame mimic some effects of estradiol (E2), i.e., on female rodent sexual behavior, with opposite actions on coagulation. However, their psychoactive actions have not been explored. On the basis of similitude with E2's effects, we hypothesized that these 17β-AEs would induce anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects, which would be reflected in a reduction of activity in the HPA axis. In ovariectomized female rats, chronic treatment with prolame (60 μg/kg), butolame (65 μg/kg) and pentolame (70 μg/kg) reduced anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze (evidenced by an increase in time in open arms, E2 (40 μg/kg) +176%; prolame +201%; butolame, +237%; and pentolame +295%, in comparison to the control vehicle group 100%). Pentolame also decreased significantly anxiety-like behavior in the burying behavior test. Prolame and E2 produced a significantly antidepressant-like action, which was not induced by butolame and pentolame. Behavioral effects of 17β-AEs (and E2) on anxiety and depression did not follow the same pattern than corticosterone or E2 levels; they also were associated to changes in locomotor activity, evaluated by the open field test. These results constitute the first evidence of specific and selective actions of butolame and pentolame as anxiolytics for females with a hypoestrogenic condition. Results also confirm the potential of prolame as an antidepressant steroid with equivalent actions to E2. Psychoactive properties of 17β-AEs in combinations with reduced adverse effects on coagulation, suggest that 17β-AEs may be a good alternative replacement therapy for women with symptoms associated with menopause.

Topics: Amino Alcohols; Animals; Anticoagulants; Anxiety Disorders; Depressive Disorder; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Estradiol; Estrenes; Exploratory Behavior; Female; Motor Activity; Ovariectomy; Psychotropic Drugs; Rats, Wistar

Estrogen therapy may produce antidepressant-like actions, but the side effects, such as thromboembolic events, may restrict its use among women. The 17β-aminoestrogens (AEs) [prolame [17β-(3-hidroxy-1-propylamino)-1,3,5(10)-estratrien-3-ol)], butolame [17β-(3-hidroxy-1-butylamino)-1,3,5(10)-estratrien-3-ol)], and pentolame [17β-(5-hidroxy-1-pentylamino)-1,3,5(10)-estratrien-3-ol)] induce estrogenic and anticoagulant actions, effects that could prove advantageous in an estrogen therapy; however, their antidepressant-like effects have not been described. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of these 17β-AEs (prolame, butolame and pentolame) in the forced swimming test (FST), an animal model sensitive to antidepressant drugs, and to establish the role of estrogen receptors in such actions. Ovariectomized female rats treated with prolame (10-200 μg/rat) showed a reduction in immobility and an increase in active behaviors in the FST, while this effect was not produced by butolame and pentolame (10-200 μg/rat). The antidepressant-like effect of prolame was similar to that of 17β-estradiol (E2, 5-20 μg/rat), sharing with it a biphasic profile but at higher doses. Antidepressant-like actions of prolame and E2 were not associated with changes in locomotor activity. With respect to a control group tamoxifen (15 mg/kg) by itself produced no changes in all behavioral evaluations, but canceled the antidepressant-like effect of prolame and E2. It is concluded that estrogen receptors participate in antidepressant-like effect of both estrogens in the FST. Antidepressant-like activity of different AEs is discussed considering their differences in chemical structure and the schedule used. Our results show additional central actions of prolame besides its pro-sexual, anti-coagulant, estrogenic and anxiolytic activity.

Topics: Amino Alcohols; Animals; Antidepressive Agents; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Estradiol; Estrenes; Estrogen Antagonists; Estrogens; Female; Motor Activity; Movement; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, Estrogen; Swimming; Tamoxifen