6-HYDROXY-L-NICOTINE EFFECTS ON OPEN FIELD ACTIVITY IN THE RAT: IMPLICATIONS FOR A MODEL OF ANXIETY WITH CHLORISONDAMINE

6-Hydroxy-L-nicotine (6HLN) is a nicotine metabolite resulted from nicotine degradation within Arthrobacter nicotinovorans with positive effects on spatial memory and oxidative stress damage. Recently, our group demonstrated that 6HLN could act as a anxiolytic and as an antidepressant agent in chlorisondamine (CHL) rat model. Based on our previous results, in the present study, we hypothesized that 6HLN exhibited anxiolytic effects as assessed by open field test in the CHL rat model. CHL, a neuronal nicotinic ganglionic blocker, when injected into the peritoneal cavity to abolish sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve activity and also, blocks behavioral responses to nicotine for several weeks or months in rats. The blocking of the ion channel(s) prevents nicotine from exerting its rewarding effects on the central nervous system (CNS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the anxiolytic effects of nicotine (0.3 mg/kg) and 6HLN (0.3 mg/kg) using a chlorisondamine (CHL) rat model. The anxiolytic effect was evaluated by open field test. Both nicotine and 6HLN improved cognition related behaviors in anxiety effectively induced by CHL in the laboratory rats.