Hormonal and temperature responses to the 5-HT1A receptor agonist flesinoxan in normal volunteers

Flesinoxan is a highly potent and selective 5-HT(1A) agonist and appears to be a potentially interesting neuroendocrine serotonergic probe.

We assessed hormonal (ACTH, cortisol, prolactin and growth hormone) and temperature responses to flesinoxan in normal volunteers.

In a double-blind placebo-controlled study, single doses of 0.5 mg and 1 mg were injected over 10 min into 12 healthy male volunteers at 1-week intervals. Temperature and hormonal responses were measured at times -30, 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min.

Flesinoxan induced a significant and dose-dependent increase in adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, prolactin (PRL), growth hormone (GH) and a decrease in body temperature. Tolerance to flesinoxan was excellent.

These results showed the role of 5-HT(1A) mechanisms in the PRL, ACTH, cortisol, GH, and temperature responses to flesinoxan. In the present study, flesinoxan appears a very promising serotonergic neuroendocrine probe.