Evaluation of anxiolytic effect of furosemide in Albino rats

Background: Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent class of psychiatric condition. Medications commonly given for treatment can elicit several central nervous system (CNS) side-effects that patients find difficult to tolerate. So there is a need for new pharmacotherapeutic approaches to treat anxiety with greater efficacy and fewer side effects. Hence this study has been taken up to evaluate the anxiolytic effect of furosemide at three different doses (75mg/kg, 150mg/kg and 200mg/kg) in Albino rats.Methods: After obtaining approval from the institutional animal ethical committee 30 Albino rats weighing about 150-200gm were taken and divided into 5 groups of 6 rats each. Group 1: Normal Saline 10ml/kg (control); Group 2: Diazepam 2mg/kg (standard); Group 3: Furosemide 150mg/kg (test group 1); Group 4: Furosemide 200mg/kg (test group 2); Group 5: Furosemide 75mg/kg + Diazepam 1mg/kg (sub threshold dose). The anxiolytic activity of furosemide was tested by elevated plus maze and digital actophotometer models. Data was analysed using one way ANOVA followed by Posthoc Tukey’s test.Results: Furosemide (150mg/kg and 200mg/kg) have shown significant increase in open arm entries (p<0.05) and time spent in open arm (p<0.05) compared to control. Also furosemide (150mg/kg and 200mg/kg) have shown statistically significant decrease in locomotor activity (p<0.05) compared to control in actophotometer model. Potentiation of time spent and number of entries in open arm and decrease in locomotor activity were noticed when sub threshold doses of combination of diazepam and furosemide were used.Conclusions: These results suggest that furosemide possesses significant anxiolytic activity at both the doses. Furosemide given in sub threshold dose potentiates the antianxiety effect of sub threshold dose of diazepam when used in combination. Hence, after further studies, furosemide can be used as an anxiolytic drug