Quipazine reduces food intake in the rat by activation of 5-HT2-receptors.

1. To determine which subtype(s) of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor are involved in the anorectic action of quipazine, the ability of selective antagonists at 5-HT2- and 5-HT3-receptors, and an antagonist at 5-HT1-like receptors, to block this response were investigated in non-deprived rats, trained to eat a palatable diet. 2. Quipazine (0.5-8 mg kg-1, i.p.) produced a dose-related reduction in the intake of palatable diet. 3. The anorectic effect of 4 mg kg-1 quipazine was antagonized by the nonselective 5-HT-receptor antagonist methysergide (5 mg kg-1, i.p.) and by the selective 5-HT2-receptor antagonists ketanserin (1 mg kg-1 and 2.5 mg kg-1, i.p.) and ritanserin (0.5 mg kg-1 and 1 mg kg-1, i.p.). The selective 5-HT3-receptor antagonist GR38032F (1 mg kg-1, i.p.) and (-)-pindolol (4 mg kg-1, i.p.), which blocks some of the effects mediated at 5-HT1-like receptors, did not block the reduction in food intake produced by this dose of quipazine. 4. None of the 5-HT-receptor antagonists had any effect on food intake when they were administered alone, suggesting that endogenous 5-HT is not involved in the tonic control of food intake under the conditions of these experiments. 5. It is concluded that the anorectic action of quipazine is mediated, at least in part, by activation of 5-HT2-receptors.