Overview of safety pharmacology.

Safety pharmacology entails the assessment of the potential risks of novel pharmaceuticals for human use. As detailed in the ICH S7A guidelines, safety pharmacology for drug discovery involves a core battery of studies on three vital systems: central nervous (CNS), cardiovascular (CV), and respiratory. Primary CNS studies are aimed at defining compound effects on general behavior, locomotion, neuromuscular coordination, seizure threshold, and vigilance. The primary CV test battery includes an evaluation of proarrhythmic risk using in vitro tests (hERG channel and Purkinje fiber assays) and in vivo measurements in conscious animals via telemetry. Comprehensive cardiac risk assessment also includes full hemodynamic evaluation in a large, anesthetized animal. Basic respiratory function can be examined in conscious animals using whole-body plethysmography. This allows for an assessment of whether the sensitivity to respiratory-depressant effects can be enhanced by exposure to increased CO2 . Other safety pharmacology topics detailed in this unit are the timing of such studies, ethical and animal welfare issues, and statistical evaluation.

Antibodies to S100 proteins have anxiolytic-like activity at ultra-low doses in the adult rat.

S100 proteins are small calcium-binding proteins interacting with numerous intra- and extra cellular targets involved in diverse physiological functions. In particular, S100 proteins may be involved in the regulation of anxiety-related behaviour. In the present study, the effects of affinity-purified antibodies to S100 proteins administered orally at ultra-low doses were evaluated in pre-clinical tests for anxiolytic-like activity in the adult rat. In the Vogel conflict test in the rat, antibodies to S100 proteins increased punished drinking (anti-conflict effect) at 5 and 7.5 mL kg(-1), but not at 2.5 or 10 mL kg(-1). Antibodies to S100 proteins increased the percentage of entries into the open arms of an elevated plus-maze at 10 mL kg(-1), but not at lower doses. Taken together, these results indicate the presence of anxiolytic-like activity for antibodies to S100 proteins over the dose range 5-10 mL kg(-1) in the adult rat.

Pharmacological properties of ABT-239 [4-(2-{2-[(2R)-2-Methylpyrrolidinyl]ethyl}-benzofuran-5-yl)benzonitrile]: II. Neurophysiological characterization and broad preclinical efficacy in cognition and schizophrenia of a potent and selective histamine H3 receptor antagonist.

Acute pharmacological blockade of central histamine H3 receptors (H3Rs) enhances arousal/attention in rodents. However, there is little information available for other behavioral domains or for repeated administration using selective compounds. ABT-239 [4-(2-{2-[(2R)-2-methylpyrrolidinyl]ethyl}-benzofuran-5-yl)benzonitrile] exemplifies such a selective, nonimidazole H3R antagonist with high affinity for rat (pK(i) = 8.9) and human (pK(i) = 9.5) H3Rs. Acute functional blockade of central H3Rs was demonstrated by blocking the dipsogenia response to the selective H3R agonist (R)-alpha-methylhistamine in mice. In cognition studies, acquisition of a five-trial, inhibitory avoidance test in rat pups was improved with ABT-239 (0.1-1.0 mg/kg), a 10- to 150-fold gain in potency, with similar efficacy, over previous antagonists such as thioperamide, ciproxifan, A-304121 [(4-(3-(4-((2R)-2-aminopropanoyl)-1-piperazinyl)propoxy)phenyl)(cyclopropyl) methanone], A-317920 [N-((1R)-2-(4-(3-(4-(cyclopropylcarbonyl) phenoxy)propyl)-1-piperazinyl)-1-methyl-2-oxoethyl)-2-furamide], and A-349821 [(4'-(3-((R,R)2,5-dimethyl-pyrrolidin-1-yl)-propoxy)-biphenyl-4-yl)-morpholin-4-yl-methanone]. Efficacy in this model was maintained for 3 to 6 h and following repeated dosing with ABT-239. Social memory was also improved in adult (0.01-0.3 mg/kg) and aged (0.3-1.0 mg/kg) rats. In schizophrenia models, ABT-239 improved gating deficits in DBA/2 mice using prepulse inhibition of startle (1.0-3.0 mg/kg) and N40 (1.0-10.0 mg/kg). Furthermore, ABT-239 (1.0 mg/kg) attenuated methamphetamine-induced hyperactivity in mice. In freely moving rat microdialysis studies, ABT-239 enhanced acetylcholine release (0.1-3.0 mg/kg) in adult rat frontal cortex and hippocampus and enhanced dopamine release in frontal cortex (3.0 mg/kg), but not striatum. In summary, broad efficacy was observed with ABT-239 across animal models such that potential clinical efficacy may extend beyond disorders such as ADHD to include Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.

Effects of cannabinoid receptor ligands on psychosis-relevant behavior models in the rat.

RATIONALE: Marijuana is known to have psychotropic effects in humans. In this study, we used rat models of sensorimotor gating, hyperactivity and stereotypy to explore whether CB(1) receptor stimulation or blockade induces behavioral changes consistent with psychotomimetic or antipsychotic agents, respectively. OBJECTIVES: We determined whether (a) the cannabinoid agonist CP 55940 decreased pre-pulse inhibition (PPI) as might be expected from a psychotomimetic agent, and (b) the selective CB(1) receptor antagonist, SR 141716A, had any effect on PPI on its own or following disruptions by psychotomimetic agents. In addition, we investigated the effects of SR 141716A on elevated levels of hyperactivity and stereotypy elicited by d-amphetamine. METHODS: These studies were conducted in rats using standard methodologies for determination of PPI following acoustic stimuli, and d-amphetamine-induced hyperactivity and stereotypies. RESULTS: Decreased startle responses to 120 dB stimuli were observed in rats treated with CP 55940 (0.1 mg/kg IP) in the absence and presence of a 73 dB pre-pulse. These effects were reversed by SR 141716A (5 and 10 mg/kg, respectively). SR 141716A (0.1, 5, 10 mg/kg) had no effect on PPI on its own or following disruptions by apomorphine, d-amphetamine or MK-801. Conversely, in separate experiments different antipsychotic agents reversed disruptions in PPI induced by d-amphetamine (haloperidol), apomorphine (haloperidol or clozapine) or MK-801 (clozapine or olanzapine). In addition, unlike haloperidol, SR 141716A (5 mg/kg) did not reverse d-amphetamine-mediated increases in hyperactivity or stereotypy. CONCLUSIONS: The CP 55940-mediated decreases in startle amplitude confound assessment of the effects of CB(1) receptor activation on PPI. The failure of SR 141716A to reverse disruptions in PPI, hyperactivity or stereotypy induced by non-cannabinoid psychotomimetic agents suggests that blockade of the CB(1) receptor on its own is not sufficient for antipsychotic therapy.

Social recognition task in the rat.

Among the numerous tasks designed for assessing distinct memory processes, the social recognition task in the rat offers the opportunity to evaluate a form of short-term working memory in the domain of social cognition, and its modification by pharmacological agents or physiopathological states, such as aging. Social cognition in humans is obviously of great importance and its deficits, e.g., during aging and Alzheimer's dementia, often have dramatic consequences for the patient and their environment. Two protocols are described in this unit that permit evaluation of positive and negative drug effects on social recognition memory in adult male rats and beneficial drug effects on age-related social recognition amnesia in aged male rats.

New perspectives in CNS safety pharmacology.

International requirements for central nervous system (CNS) safety pharmacology are reviewed. Procedures for initial CNS safety screening (core battery studies) can be conducted from the beginning of the drug discovery process, but at latest before first studies in man. They should include assessment of general behaviour, locomotor activity and motor coordination, but can also include studies of pain sensitivity, convulsive threshold and interaction with hypnotics. Follow-up studies, to be conducted later in the drug development process but before product approval, cover assessment of higher cognitive function, electroencephalogram (EEG) and drug dependence/abuse liability. Procedures for assessing cognitive function can include, in order of complexity, passive avoidance, Morris and radial mazes and operant behaviour tasks (delayed alternation, repeated acquisition). EEG can include the quantified EEG (QEEG) and studies of the sleep/wakefulness cycle. Drug dependence/abuse procedures can include precipitated and nonprecipitated withdrawal (drug dependence), and place preference, drug discrimination and self-administration (drug abuse). In contrast to core battery CNS procedures, conducted exclusively in rodents, follow-up studies can include higher species, in particular primates.