Effects of prolylendopeptidase inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-methionyl-2(S)-cyanopyrrolidine on experimental depressive syndrome development in rats.

Model of experimental depressive syndrome in rats induced by repeated systemic injection of proneurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine showed that chronic injection of prolylendopeptidase inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-methionyl-2(S)-cyanopyrrolidine 30 min before pro-neurotoxin injection prevents the development of a number of depressive syndrome symptoms such as behavioral despair and biorhythmic disorders in forced swimming test, precludes the increase in anxiety-phobic level, prevents reduction of relative thymus mass. These results indicate that benzyloxycarbonyl-methionyl-2(S)-cyanopyrrolidine possesses antidepressant, anxiolytic, and/antistress properties.