Effects of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-activating alkaloids on anxiety-like behavior in zebrafish

• DOI: 10.1007/s11418-021-01544-8
• Publication Date: 2021-07-15T13:02:59Z
• Authors: Ainhoa Alzualde; Oihane Jaka; Diogo A. R. S. La...; Omar Alijevic; Iñaki Iturria; Jorge Hurtado de ...; Pavel Pospisil; Stefan Frentzel; Manuel C. Peitsch; Julia Hoeng; Kyoko Koshibu
• Keywords: Elevated plus maze; Docking (animal)

Alkaloids are a structurally complex group of natural products that have diverse range biological activities and significant therapeutic applications. In this study, we examined the acute, anxiolytic-like effects nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR)-activating alkaloids with reported neuropharmacological but whose on anxiety less well understood. Because α4β2 nAChRs can regulate anxiety, first demonstrated functional these receptors in vitro. Their anxiety-like behavior zebrafish were then using novel tank test (NTT). The NTT is relatively high-throughput behavioral paradigm takes advantage tendency fish to dive down when stressed or anxious. We report for time cotinine, anatabine, methylanatabine may suppress anxiety-driven after single 20-min treatment. Effective concentrations above naturally found plants needed induce effect by nicotine. These showed good interactions at nAChR agonist site as vitro binding silico docking model, although somewhat weaker than Minimal no other compounds been due low bioavailability brain, which supported prediction blood-brain barrier permeability. Taken together, our findings indicate nicotine, not risk-free, most potent alkaloid tested well.