Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences

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EFFECTS OF RENIN-ANGIOTENSIN SYSTEM BLOCKADE ON ANXIETY AND MEMORY IN MICE

DANIELA CARMEN ABABEI1, RADU LEFTER2, ALIN CIOBICA 2,3, IULIA ANTIOH3, ROXANA MIHAELA BARBU1, OANA DANA ARCAN1, SORIN BEȘCHEA CHIRIAC4, CRISTINA ZBÂRCEA5, WALTHER BILD1,2*, VERONICA BILD1,2

1.“Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacodynamics and Clinical Pharmacy Department, Iași, Romania
2.Center of Biomedical Research of the Romanian Academy, Iași, Romania
3.“Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University, Faculty of Biology, Department of Research, Iași, Romania
4.“Ion Ionescu de la Brad” University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Clinical Toxicology Department, Iași, Romania
5.“Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Department, Bucharest, Romania

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Lately it has been accepted that a complete separate brain renin - angiotensin system (RAS) exists and is being implicated, as our group previously demonstrated, in superior and complex functions such as memory, emotional manifestations related for example to anxiety or pain processing. There is also a lot of controversial data regarding the implications of brain RAS and especially on the inhibition of formation and action on angiotensin II receptors (Ang II) in memory processes: while some authors reported negative effects of this neuropeptide on the cognitive functions, some described positive effects or no effects at all. In this context, in the present paper we decided to study the effects for different doses of captopril, losartan and ramipril on memory and anxiety-related manifestations, as determined in some specific behavioural tests such as Y maze, elevated plus maze or open field in mice. In summary, we report here that the inhibition of angiotensin II with different doses of captopril, losartan and ramipril affects anxiety manifestations especially in open field task (modified time spent in the centre of the maze, crossing, stretching behaviour and grooming) and elevated plus maze (affected head dipping), but has no effect on immediate memory in mice (as seen by the percentage of spontaneous alternation in Y maze). These results highlight once again the need for further studies on how certain doses of specific angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are affecting the memory and anxiety-related manifestations.