Antidepressant effect of low dose nimodipine in the mouse behaviour despair model

Dihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blockers (DHP-CCB) have been reported to exert conflicting effects in various experimental models of depression. We observed the effect of centrally acting DHP-CCB, nimodipine at various doses in behaviour despair model using Porsolt’s Forced Swim Test in mice. Nimodipine showed significant antidepressant activity only at 2.5 mg/kg given intraperitoneally. A possible therapeutic window phenomenon is thought to come to play at lower doses of the drug. Thus nimodipine can be developed as a strong weapon and added to the armamentarium used especially against cerebrovascular diseases where the possibility of depression setting in can not be ruled out.