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Pharmacological Activity of Ruthenium Complexes trans-[RuCl2(L)4] (L = Nicotinic or i-Nicotinic acid) on Anxiety and Memory in Rats

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Abstract

Many biological properties have been attributed to ruthenium complex I (trans-[RuCl2(nic)4]) and ruthenium complex II (trans-[RuCl2 (i-nic) 4]) including nitric oxide synthase inhibition. In this study, we evaluated pharmacological effects of these complexes on anxiety and memory formation. Memory was evaluated with inhibitory avoidance and habituation to an open-field and anxiety was tested with elevated plus-maze. Adult male Wistar rats (250 to 350 g) received intraperitoneal injections of vehicle, ruthenium complex I (45.2, 90.4, or 180.7 μmol/kg), or ruthenium complex II (0.08, 4.5, or 13.6 μmol/kg) 30 min prior open-field training or elevated plus-maze test and 30 min or 0 h after training. No effects were observed in the anxiety parameters and habituation to an open-field. The ruthenium complexes impaired memory retention compared with vehicle group in the inhibitory avoidance, as when administrated 30 min prior as immediately after training. The memory impairment induced by ruthenium complexes may be due to their nitric oxide synthase inhibition capacity.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grants from CNPq, FAPESC and UNESC (Brazil).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Neurociências, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, 88806-000, Criciúma, SC, Brazil

    Samira Silva Valvassori, Márcio Rodrigo Martins & João Quevedo

  2. Laboratório de Síntese de Complexos Multifuncionais, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, Avenida Universitária, 1105 Bairro Universitário, Caixa Postal 3167, 88806-000, Criciúma, SC, Brazil

    Maykon Passos Cristiano, Danon Clemes Cardoso, Glauco Damiani Santos & Marcos Marques Silva da Paula

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  1. Samira Silva Valvassori
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  2. Maykon Passos Cristiano
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  3. Danon Clemes Cardoso
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  4. Glauco Damiani Santos
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  5. Márcio Rodrigo Martins
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  6. João Quevedo
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  7. Marcos Marques Silva da Paula
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Correspondence to Danon Clemes Cardoso.

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Valvassori, S.S., Cristiano, M.P., Cardoso, D.C. et al. Pharmacological Activity of Ruthenium Complexes trans-[RuCl2(L)4] (L = Nicotinic or i-Nicotinic acid) on Anxiety and Memory in Rats. Neurochem Res 31, 1457–1462 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-006-9198-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-006-9198-4

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