Antidepressant Activity of 11-Dialkylaminoethyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydrodiazepino[1,2-a]benzimidazole Derivative DAB-21 in a Model of Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress.

The antidepressant properties of DAB-21 a compound with anxiolytic activity, were studied in C57BL/6 mice after modeling chronic unpredictable mild stress. In the Porsolt swim and tail suspension tests, the effect of DAB-21 was similar to that of amitriptyline, imipramine, and fluoxetine. In the open field test, the substance did not stimulate the motor activity of animals, which excludes the pseudo-antidepressant effect. HPLC analysis of monoamines and their metabolites in the frontal cortex showed that the 5-HIAA/serotonin ratio in animals treated with DAB-21 was 0.1, which is closest to that in the fluoxetine group. These findings suggest that the anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of DAB-21 are mediated via the serotonergic pathway.