Flesinoxan dose-dependently reduces extracellular 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in rat median raphe and dorsal hippocampus through activation of 5-HT1A receptors.

The effects of systemic administration of the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) 5-HT1A receptor agonists flesinoxan and 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin on extracellular 5-HT were measured using microdialysis probes in both median raphe nucleus and dorsal hippocampus. Both 5-HT1A agonists dose-dependently decreased dialysate 5-HT levels from both brain regions. The effects of flesinoxan in the median raphe (0.3 mg/kg) and dorsal hippocampus (1.0 mg/kg) could be blocked by the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist N-[2-[4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl]-N-(2-pyridyl)cyclohexane carboxamide trihydrochloride (WAY 100,635) at a dose of 0.05 mg/kg s.c. The antagonist itself had no effect at this dosage. Local perfusion of flesinoxan for 30 min through the dialysis probe into the median raphe region at concentrations of 20, 100, and 1,000 nM resulted in a significant decrease in dialysate 5-HT content from both regions. The effect of 100 nM flesinoxan could be blocked by coperfusion of 1,000 nM WAY 100,635. The data indicate that flesinoxan is a potent 5-HT1A receptor agonist and also support the notion that somatodendritic 5-HT1A autoreceptors regulate both terminal and somatodendritic 5-HT release.