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Effects of ING-911, a tryptic hydrolysate from bovine Milk alpha S1-Casein on anxiety of Wistar male rats measured in the conditioned defensive burying paradigm and the elevated-plus maze test

Schroeder H, Violle N, Messaoudi M, Lefranc-Millot C, Nejdi A, Demagny B, Desor D - 2003, Behavioural Pharmacology, 14(S1):S38-S39.

ING-911 is a tryptic hydrolysate from bovine milk that contains as a major component, a peptide corresponding to the 91-100 fragment of the α S1-casein. As diazepam (DZ), ING-911 was found to have an anticonvulsant activity in the pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures test. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of ING-911 on anxiety of Wistar male rats in two behavioural situations that were designed to elicit responses to aversive stimuli: the conditioned defensive burying paradigm and the elevated plus maze test. ING-911 was suspended in 0.3% methyl cellulose and administered p.o. at a dose of 15 mg/kg 60 min before testing. Control animals received the same volume of methyl cellulose. A third group was treated with diazepam (3 mg/kg, p.o., 60 min before testing) used as a reference anxiolytic substance. In the conditioned defensive burying paradigm, ING-911 and DZ induced a significant 40% reduction of the anxiety global score that is calculated from the probe burying duration, the number of head stretchings directed towards the probe and the percentage of approaches towards the probe followed by retreats. In the elevated plus maze test, DZ and ING-911 were found to decrease by 40% the percentage of closed arm entries compared to controls and to increase the percentages of open arm entries and time spent in the open arms (+103% and +54% for DZ, +118% and +49% for ING-911, respectively). DZ also induced a significant increase of the total arm entries (+63%) and the total number of head dipping (+189%) whereas ING-911 did not. In conclusion, the present data provide evidence that the bovine milk αS1-casein hydrolysate ING-911 displays a potent anxiolytic-like profile with a behavioural profile that is different from this observed with DZ.