Diphenyl diselenide induces anxiolytic-like and sedative effects on the chick social separation-stress behavior.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the anxiolytic-like effect of diphenyl diselenide [(PhSe)(2)] on the chick social separation-stress behavior. Male chicks (six day-old) received, per oral route, a single administration of (PhSe)(2) at doses of 1, 10 and 50mg/kg. Thirty minutes after treatment, chicks were submitted to the behavioral tests. The behavioral tests: number of separation-induced distress vocalizations and jumps, time of active wakefulness, time of standing/sitting motionless with eyes open, time of standing motionless with eyes closed and time of sleeping posture, during 10 min, were recorded. (PhSe)(2) at doses of 10 and 50mg/kg reduced the number of vocalizations and jumps and the time of active wakefulness and increased the time of standing/sitting motionless with eyes open of chicks. The sleeping posture time was increased in animals treated with (PhSe)(2) at the dose of 50mg/kg. In conclusion, treatment with (PhSe)(2), in a dose dependent-manner, caused anxiolytic-like and sedative effects in chicks.