Abstract
In this study a variety of psychoactive drugs were evaluated for their ability to block a stress-induced elevation in rat plasma corticosteroids. Stress was applied by placing the rats in different cages and moving them to a novel environment which resulted in a rapid increase in plasma corticosteroids, near maximal with 30 min, followed by a decrease to normal by 2 h. Meprobamate, phenobarbital, diazepam and several other benzodiazepines, all of which exhibit anxiolytic properties, were able to block the stress-induced increase. U-33,030 and U-31,889, two triazolobenzodiazepine derivatives, were the most potent compounds tested. No other type of psychoactive compound demonstrated this activity.
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Lahti, R.A., Barsuhn, C. The effect of minor tranquilizers on stress-induced increases in rat plasma corticosteroids. Psychopharmacologia 35, 215–220 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00437750
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00437750