Journal of Pharmacological Sciences (Jul 2020)

Benzothiazepines, diltiazem and JTV-519, exert an anxiolytic-like effect via neurosteroid biosynthesis in mice

  • Kazumi Yoshizawa,
  • Kozue Nakashima,
  • Mizuho Tabuchi,
  • Ayano Okumura,
  • Yuko Nakatake,
  • Mitsuhiko Yamada,
  • Yayoi Tsuneoka,
  • Tatsuya Higashi

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 143, no. 3
pp. 234 – 237

Abstract

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We investigated whether benzothiazepines could produce anxiolytic effects via allopregnanolone (ALLO) biosynthesis in mice. We compared the behavioral effects caused by benzothiazepines to those caused by carbamazepine and sodium valproate. We found that a pretreatment with finasteride (a 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor) suppressed carbamazepine-induced anxiolytic effects but not the effects of sodium valproate. Similar to carbamazepine, diltiazem and JTV-519 displayed anxiolytic effects that were suppressed by a pretreatment with finasteride. We clearly demonstrate that the benzothiazepines, diltiazem and JTV-519, exert an anxiolytic-like effect via ALLO biosynthesis in mice.

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