Antidepressant‑like effect of a novel 5‑HT3 receptor antagonist N‑(benzo[d] thiazol‑2‑yl)‑3‑ethoxyquinoxalin‑2‑carboxamide 6k using rodents behavioral battery tests

Objective: To investigate the antidepressant‑like effect of N‑(benzo[d] thiazol‑2‑yl)‑3‑ ethoxyquinoxalin‑2‑carboxamide 6k, a 5‑hydroxytryptamine type 3 (5‑HT3) receptor antagonist using rodents behavioral battery tests. Materials and Methods: 6k screening was performed with behavioral assays for depression‑like forced swim test (FST) at several single doses (0.25-4 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection (i.p.)) to test the potency of 6k, in which 2 and 4 mg/kg doses were found to be most effective and hence, in further behavioral assays including mechanistic model like 5‑hydroxytryptophan (5‑HTP)‑induced head twitches was performed in mice at acute doses of 6k (2 and 4 mg/kg, i.p.). Furthermore, olfactory bulbectomy (OBX), a surgical model‑induced behavioral alterations was performed in rats, and the effect of 6k administered orally (2 and 4 mg/kg, p.o.) after subchronic treatment for 14 days starting from day 15 of postsurgery was examined by percent sucrose preference test and modified open field test (OFT). Results: 6k (1, 2, and 4 mg/kg, i.p.) reduced the immobility time and increased the swimming behavior in FST without affecting the baseline locomotor score showing antidepressant‑like effect. 5‑HTP‑induced head twitch response was potentiated by 6k (2 and 4 mg/kg, i.p.), which indicated rise in the serotonergic neurotransmission in the brain. 6k (2 and 4 mg/kg, p.o.) showed anti‑anhedonia effect by increasing the sucrose consumption and reversed the behavioral alterations when exposed to modified open field in OBX rats after subchronic treatment for 14 days, thus exhibiting antidepressant‑like effect. Conclusion: 6k attenuated the behavioral derangement in rodents‑based behavioral battery tests for depression, indicating antidepressant‑like potential.