In vitro antioxidant activity and in vivo antidepressant-like effect of α-(phenylselanyl) acetophenone in mice.

In this study, the antioxidant and antidepressant-like effects of α-(phenylselanyl) acetophenone (PSAP), an organoselenium compound, were investigated. To assess the in vitro antioxidant properties, PSAP was evaluated in four test systems (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP and inhibition of lipid peroxidation). PSAP (100-500 μM) showed potent antioxidant activity and protected against lipid peroxidation. Additionally, we investigated whether PSAP, when administered in mice (100, 200 and 400mg/kg, per oral, p.o.), could cause acute toxicity. Our results demonstrated that PSAP did not cause the death of any animal, significantly reduce body weight or cause any oxidative tissue stress following treatment. This study also evaluated the effect of PSAP (0.1-10 mg/kg, p.o) on mice in a forced swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST), assays that are predictive of depressant activity and motor activity in the open-field. PSAP (5-10 mg/kg) significantly reduced immobility time in the FST and TST without affecting motor activity. In addition, the antidepressant-like effect caused by PSAP (5m/kg, p.o) in mice during the TST was dependent on an interaction with the serotonergic system (5-HT(1A) receptors), but not with the noradrenergic, dopaminergic or adenosinergic system. Together, these results suggest that PSAP possesses antioxidant and antidepressant-like properties and may be of interest as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of depressive disorders.