Neurochemical and behavioural profile of Lu 17-133, (±)-trans-4-[3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-indan-1-yl]-1-piperazineethanol,an inhibitor of the uptake of dopamine and noradrenaline

The neurochemical and behavioural profile of Lu 17-133, (±)-trans-4-[3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-indan-1-yl]-1-piperazineethanol has been characterized and compared with that of a series of inhibitors of biogenic amine uptake. Lu 17-133 inhibits the uptake of dopamine and noradrenaline in the nanomolar range, but it has only a weak effect on serotonin uptake. Blockade of receptors for dopamine (D-1, D-2), noradrenaline (α₁, α₂), histamine (H₁), acetylcholine (muscarinic), and serotonin (5-HT₂) was absent or seen only at micromolar concentrations. The biochemical profile is close to that of GBR 13.069, GBR 12.921, and Lu 19-005 (INN name, Indatraline). Lu 17-133 shows only weak behavioural effects. In high doses, it potentiates apomorphine and 5-HTP and reverses the effect of tetrabenazine in mice. It has minimal stimulatory property, as it increases very weakly the locomotor activity in mice and does not induce stereotypy (either low-component or oral stereotypy) in rats. It does not induce ipsilateral circling behaviour in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats, although in combination with scopolamine, a full ipsilateral rotation is seen. Lu 17-133 has no anticataleptic effect and does not generalize to the discriminative stimulus properties induced by d-amphetamine. Experiments have shown that there is no clear correlation between inhibitory effect on dompamine uptake and in vivo effects in the models detecting dopamine-stimulating compounds; nor is there any obvious correlation between effects in different in vivo test models. The neurochemical and behavioural characteristics of Lu 17-133-inhibition of dopamine- and noradrenaline-uptake in vitro with low stimulatory properties in vivo make it an interesting candidate as a new antidepressant drug.