Effect of elymoclavine on open field behaviour of rats and pharmacological analysis of its catecholaminergic mechanisms.

The effect of elymoclavine on rat open field behaviour was examined. The participation of catecholaminergic mechanisms in the elymoclavine effect on rat open field behaviour was also studied using pharmacological tools for analyzing these mechanisms. Elymoclavine in increasing doses stimulated ambulation and rearing but inhibited defecation. Haloperidol blocked the responses to all doses of elymoclavine. The effect of elymoclavine on ambulation was potentiated by propranolol, desipramine and pargyline. Its effect on rearing was reduced by desipramine, pargyline, alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (alpha-MpT), L-DOPA, DDC (diethyldithiocarbamate) and 6-OHDA (applied intracerebroventricularly). The effect of elymoclavine on defecation was reduced only by DDC. It is concluded that elymoclavine influences both locomotor components of exploratory behaviour in the open field (ambulation and rearing) and defecation. These behavioural effects of elymoclavine are realized through the participation of central catecholaminergic mechanisms (dopaminergic and to a less extent noradrenergic).