The effects of dantrolene sodium on depression, anxiety, learning and memory in mice

AIM: Dantrolene sodium is a direct-acting skeletal muscle relaxant that binds to ryanodine receptors and blocks calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. It is used in the treatment of malignant hyperthermia and spasticity. Side effects on the central nervous system are known, but there have been recent reports that they can be used in diseases such as Alzheimer's. In this study, we aimed to determine whether dantrolene sodium, which has not been clarified in the literature, has effects on depression, anxiety, learning and memory. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After the approval of Sakarya University Animal Experiments Local Ethics Committee dated 04/04/2018, 220 male BALB/c mice weighing 25-35 grams were used for 9 weeks. Behavioral tests were performed in the SÜDETAM laboratory and at the same time every day (09:00-14.00). All experimental animals were used only for one treatment group. Behavioral experiments were planned as four methods: forced swimming test, elevated plus maze test, Morris water maze test and passive avoidance test. All experimental groups were determined as n=10, but before these tests, the mice were tested for locomotor activity and the mice whose locomotion activities were not sufficient were excluded from the experiment. Dantrolene sodium was administered in 3 different doses, 1,3 and 9 mg/kg. RESULTS: Dantrolene sodium showed no significant antidepressive effect in all three doses as a result of the forced swimming test. The elevated plus maze test showed the anxiolytic effect at all three doses. The results of passive avoidance and Morris water maze tests did not increase the memory compared to the control group but corrected the memory disrupted with scopolamine. CONCLUSION: In this study, we determined that dantrolene sodium had an anxiolytic effect without impairing locomotor activity and could reverse impaired memory. These effects are likely to be due to blockade of ryanodine receptors, neuroprotective and cytoprotective effects.