Effects of histamine H3 receptor ligands in experimental models of anxiety and depression

Histamine H₃ receptor ligands have been proposed to be of potential therapeutic interest for the treatment of different central nervous system disorders; however, the psychopharmacological properties of these drugs have not been studied extensively. In this work, we investigated the possible involvement of histamine H₃ receptor function in experimental models of anxiety (elevated plus-maze) and depression (forced swimming test). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated IP with the histamine H₃ receptor agonist R-α-methylhistamine (10 mg/kg) or the histamine H₃ receptor antagonist thioperamide (0.2, 2 and 10 mg/kg) and 30 min afterwards the time spent in the open arms of an elevated plus-maze was registered for 5 min. The immobility time of male OF1 mice in the forced swimming test was recorded for 6 min, 1 h after the IP administration of R-α-methylhistamine (10 and 20 mg/kg), thioperamide (0.2, 2, 10 and 20 mg/kg) or another histamine H₃ receptor antagonist, clobenpropit (5 mg/kg). The locomotor activity of mice was checked in parallel by means of an activity meter. Both saline controls and active drug controls were used in all the paradigms. Neither thioperamide nor R-α-methylhistamine significantly changed animal behaviour in the elevated plus-maze. R-α-methylhistamine and the higher dose of thioperamide assayed (20 mg/kg) were also inactive in the forced swimming test. By contrast, thioperamide (0.2–10 mg/kg) dose-dependently decreased immobility, the effect being significant at 10 mg/kg (33% reduction of immobility); clobenpropit produced an effect qualitatively similar (24% reduction of immobility). None of these histamine H₃ receptor antagonists affected locomotor activity. These preliminary results suggest that the histamine H₃ receptor blockade could be devoid of anxiolytic potential but have antidepressant effects. Besides, the stimulation of these receptors does not seem to be followed by changes in the behavioural parameters studied. Received: 1 July 1998/Final version: 8 September 1998