THE EFFECTS OF TIANEPTINE ON WET-DOG SHAKES, FORE-PAW TREADING AND A FLEXOR REFLEX IN RATS ARE CONSISTENT WITH ENHANCEMENT OF 5-HYDROXYTRYPTAMINE UPTAKE

Tianeptine is a novel antidepressant which uniquely facilitates 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) uptake. When given in a dose of 10 mg/kg to rats pretreated with either carbidopa or phenelzine, it markedly reduced the frequency of wet-dog shakes, fore-paw treading, tremor and hind-limb abduction evoked by L-5-hydroxytryptophan (L-5-HTP) given 30 or 60 min later. This effect of tianeptine was opposite to that of paroxetine, a selective 5-HT uptake inhibitor, which greatly increased the 5-HTP-induced behavioural syndrome. In contrast, tianeptine did not affect behaviours elicited by the 5-HT receptor agonists, 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeODMT) or (+/-)-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane hydrochloride (DOI), which are not substrates for the 5-HT uptake process. In spinal animals, tianeptine attenuated an ipsilateral flexor reflex, an effect opposite to that of citalopram, a selective 5-HT uptake inhibitor. These effects of tianeptine are consistent with its ability to increase 5-HT reuptake.