Zervamicins IIA and IIB are members of the peptaibol family of peptide antibiotics. They are produced by the fungus Emericellopsis salmosynnemata. Peptaibols are known to be of potential usefulness for chemotherapeutic applications, as are other secondary fungal metabolites. Previously, we have found zervamicins to decrease spontaneous locomotor activity in mice, suggesting their neurotropic properties on an equal footing with antimicrobial activity. The current study deals with behavioral effects of zervamicins IIA and IIB in mice. According to our results, both zervamicins induce a reliable decrease in locomotion and exploratory activity measured in the hole-board test. The behavioral effects of zervamicin IIA become apparent at lower dosages (0.05-2.0 mg/kg) as compared with zervamicin IIB (0.5-12.0 mg/kg). The experiments on behavioral effects in the elevated plus maze test showed that both zervamicins caused a reliable decrease in the number of head-dippings, open-arm entries, and rearings. The observed behavioral effects may be rather associated with a decrease in the exploratory activity than with anxiety-related responses in mice. Zervamicins induced depression-like behavior of experimental animals in the forced-swim test. Both peptaibols reduce physical endurance and change motor coordination of experimental animals in the bar-holding test. Taken together, the data obtained clearly indicate that both zervamicins possess neuroleptic activity.
Intranasal administration of arginine vasopressin (10 microg/kg) to albino rat pups had a strong nootropic effect during training with positive and negative reinforcement. This effect was different in animals of various age groups: training with positive reinforcement was improved in "adolescent" rats and pubertal animals, while during training with negative reinforcement, the nootropic effect of the peptide was more prolonged and persisted also in adult animals.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.