[Pharmacologic profile of an original psychotropic drug. Minaprine: comparison with six reference antidepressives]

Minaprine (MIN) is a 3-amino-pyridazine derivative which exhibits a profile of psychotropic activities which resembles that of antidepressant drugs as well as that of several dopaminomimetic drugs. This spectrum of activity differs from those observed in the same conditions for tricyclic (imipramine, clomipramine) and atypical (indalpine, nomifensine, amineptine, mianserin) antidepressant drugs. It must be noted that MIN is devoid of anticholinergic and motor stimulant effects. In addition, MIN induces behavioural effects predictive of a dopaminergic stimulation; the profile of this activity differs from that of apomorphine, as well as from those of amphetamine and nomifensine, but somewhat resembles that of bromocryptine. MIN does not induce neuroleptic, anxiolytic or anticonvulsant activities in rodents. These data suggest that MIN is an atypical antidepressant drug which activates both serotonergic and dopaminergic neurotransmissions, by as yet not clearly identified mechanisms.