Anxiolytic action of a neurokinin1 receptor antagonist in the social interaction test

CGP 49823, a substance P antagonist acting at NK1 receptors, had significant anxiolytic effects at 3, 10 and 30 mg/kg orally in the high-light unfamiliar and low-light unfamiliar conditions of the social interaction test but was without effect in the low-light familiar condition. The effects were less marked after 3 and 6 weeks of treatment (10 mg/kg/day), indicating that some tolerance had developed, but a significant anxiolytic effect still remained. After 3 weeks of diazepam treatment (2 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally), tolerance developed to the anxiolytic effects, and there was an anxiogenic response 24 h after withdrawal. In contrast, there were no anxiogenic withdrawal effects 24 h after 3 weeks or 24, 48 or 72 h after 6 weeks treatment with CGP 49823 (10 mg/kg/day). These results suggest that the compound may prove to be a useful anxiolytic and that substance P may play a role in mediating states of anxiety.