the selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, the compound 11b improves haloperidol induced catatonia by enhancing the striatum dopaminergic neurotransmission

a substantial amount of evidence has proposed an important role for cyclooxygenase-2 (cox-2) enzyme in brain diseases and affiliate disorders. the purpose of this research was studying the effects of cox-2 selective inhibition on haloperidol-induced catatonia in an animal model of drug overdose and parkinson’s disease (pd). in this study, the effect of acute and sub-chronic oral administration of a new selective cox-2 inhibitor, i.e. the compound 11b or 1-(phenyl)-5-(4-methylsulfonylphenyl)-2-ethylthioimidazole, in a dosage of 2, 4 and 8 mg/kg on haloperidol-induced catatonia was evaluated and compared to the standard drug scopolamine (1 mg/kg) by microanalysis of striatum dopaminergic neurotransmission. the results showed a very high potency for 11b in improving the catalepsy by enhancing the dopaminergic neurotranmission (p < 0.05). in addition, statistical analysis showed the dose- and time-dependent behavior of the observed protective effect of 11b against the haloperidol-induced catatonia and enhancement of the dopaminergic neurotransmission. these findings are additional pharmacological data that suggest the effectiveness of cox-2 inhibition in treatment of schizophreny-associated rigidity.