Evaluation of Effect of Piracetam in Experimental Models of Depression

Aims: To study effect of piracetam in experimental models of depression. Methods: Mice (n = 6/group) pretreated with distilled water, fluoxetine (28 mg/kg) and piracetam 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 750 and 1000 mg/kg for 7 days were subjected to tail suspension test (TST) on day 7. Rats (n=6/group) were pretreated for 7 days with distilled water, fluoxetine (20 mg/kg) and piracetam (300, 400, 500, 750 and 1000 mg/kg) and on day 7, forced swim test (FST) was conducted. Immobility time in seconds was noted in both the models and analysed using oneway ANOVA (level of significance p<0.05). Results: In TST, immobility time was reduced significantly (p<0.01) and in a dose-dependent manner with all but one dose of piracetam compared to vehicle. In FST, significant difference from control group was seen with higher doses of piracetam (500, 750 and 1000 mg/kg) with a dose-dependent trend. The mean immobility durations in the groups with significant improvement were found to be comparable to that of the respective fluoxetine groups in both models. No signifiant difference was seen in the general motor activity in all the treatment groups as assessed by the open field test. Conclusion: Piracetam shows anti-depressant activity in experimental models of depression over a wide dose range and in a dose-dependent manner. INTRODUCTION: Clinical depression is a serious illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts, affecting a person's general health, work and ability to enjoy life 1 . The global burden of disease report by the WHO that was released in October 2008 identifies depression as the leading global cause of "years of health lost to disease" in both men and women 2 . QUICK RESPONSE CODE DOI: 10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.4(7).2667-72 Article can be accessed online on: www.ijpsr.com Currently used antidepressants [selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)] have a number of limitations which include unsatisfactory response to treatment and low remission rates, delayed onset of action, poor tolerability, persistent adverse effects and the potential for clinically significant pharmacokinetic drug interactions 3 . Therefore, discovery of newer targets and agents for anti-depressant action is the need of the hour. Research in neurobiology for understanding role of various neurotransmitters involved in pathogenesis of depression and their modulators is on-going.