Endocannabinoids mediate anxiolytic-like effect of acetaminophen via CB1 receptors

Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2009 Oct 1;33(7):1191-9. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2009.06.020. Epub 2009 Jul 4.

Abstract

Acetaminophen (Paracetamol), a most commonly used antipyretic/analgesic agent, is metabolized to AM404 (N-arachidonoylphenolamine) that inhibits uptake and degradation of anandamide which is reported to mediate the analgesic action of acetaminophen via CB1 receptor. AM404 and anandamide are also reported to produce anxiolytic-like behavior. In view of the implication of endocannabinoids in the effect of acetaminophen, we contemplated that acetaminophen may have anxiolytic-like effect. Therefore, this possibility was tested by observing the effects of various doses of acetaminophen in mice on anxiety-related indices of Vogel conflict test and social interaction test. The results from both the tests indicated that acetaminophen (50, 100, or 200 mg/kg, i.p.) or anandamide (10 or 20 microg/mouse, i.c.v.) dose dependently elicited anxiolytic-like effect, that was comparable to diazepam (2 mg/kg, i.p.). Moreover, co-administration of sub-effective dose of acetaminophen (25 mg/kg, i.p.) and anandamide (5 microg/mouse, i.c.v) produced similar anxiolytic effect. Further, pre-treatment with AM251 (a CB1 receptor antagonist; 1 mg/kg, i.p.) antagonized the effects of acetaminophen and anandamide with no per se effect at 1 mg/kg dose, while anxiogenic effect was evident at a higher dose (5 mg/kg, i.p.). None of the treatment/s was found to induce any antinociceptive or locomotor impairment effects. In conclusion, the findings suggested that acetaminophen (50, 100, or 200 mg/kg, i.p.) exhibited dose dependent anxiolytic effect in mice and probably involved endocannabinoid-mediated mechanism in its effect.

MeSH terms

  • Acetaminophen / administration & dosage*
  • Animals
  • Anti-Anxiety Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Anxiety / drug therapy*
  • Arachidonic Acids / pharmacology
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / metabolism*
  • Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / pharmacology
  • Diazepam / pharmacology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drinking / drug effects
  • Endocannabinoids*
  • Injections, Intraventricular / methods
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Motor Activity / drug effects
  • Piperidines / pharmacokinetics
  • Polyunsaturated Alkamides / pharmacology
  • Pyrazoles / pharmacokinetics
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / metabolism*

Substances

  • Anti-Anxiety Agents
  • Arachidonic Acids
  • Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators
  • Endocannabinoids
  • Piperidines
  • Polyunsaturated Alkamides
  • Pyrazoles
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1
  • Acetaminophen
  • AM 251
  • Diazepam
  • anandamide