[Psychotropic properties of the tetrapeptide taftsin and its effect on learning]

Experiments on mice and rats have disclosed that taftsin so far known for its stimulatory action on phagocytosis has psychotropic properties. Taftsin potentiates the motor and orienting activity of the animals, reduces the effects of hexenal, reserpine, potentiates the action of amphetamine and arecoline. It shortens the latent period and time of the reaction during training of the rats in a T-shaped maze, but does not increase the number of the training animals. The effect of taftsin has a biphasic nature and seems likely to be related to the effect on alpha-adrenergic systems of the brain.