Antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects of linezolid in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice via modulation of brain serotonin and plasma corticosterone activity.

Depression and anxiety are comorbid with diabetes. Diabetes and depression have a bidirectional relationship. In this study, Linezolid was evaluated for the treatment of depression and anxiety comorbid with T2DM. Linezolid may exhibit antidepressant and anxiolytic-like effects via modulation of MAO enzyme activity. In the study, male Swiss Albino mice were divided into 9 groups (n = 70). Group 1 (normal control); Group 2 diabetes control (DC); Group 3, 4, and 5 (low, intermediate, high dose of Linezolid; LDL, IDL and HDL); Group 6 [DC + Paroxetine (PAR)], Group 7 [DC + Metformin (MET)]; Group 8 (DC + LDL + PAR); Group 9 (DC + LDL + PAR + MET). Except for the normal control group, all the other groups were induced with T2DM with Streptozotocin (50 mg/kg, i.p.) and Nicotinamide (120 mg/kg, i.p.). Mice showed glucose levels of more than 160 mg/dl were taken in the study. Following a 14-day treatment, behavioral and biochemical assessments were done using the FST, TST, EPM, and OFT, and blood glucose, plasma corticosterone, brain TNF-α and serotonin were measured. Group 3 to 9 showed their activity in behavioral models of depression and anxiety such as FST, TST, OFT, and EPM. The treatment groups (Groups 3 to 9) also have shown a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in blood glucose, plasma corticosterone, and brain TNF-α levels with respect to DC, while serotonin levels are increased in Groups 5, 8 & 9. The above findings suggest the beneficial effects of Linezolid in the treatment of depression and anxiety comorbid with T2DM.