AMELIORATIVE EFFECTS OF SELECTIVE PDE-10 INHIBITORS AGAINST KETAMINE-MEDIATED SCHIZOPHRENIC OUTCOMES IN MICE
Ruchika Srivastava, Prabhat Singh, Ajeet
Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research January 7, 2026 DOI: 10.22159/ajpcr.2026v19i1.55825 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Mice |
| Interventions | Papaverine Clozapine |
| Dose | Papaverine 30 mg/kg i.p.; Clozapine 7.5 mg/kg p.o. |
| Duration | 10 consecutive days of ketamine exposure; 28 days of ketamine therapy total |
| Measures | Social interaction test, catalepsy test, Morris water maze, open field test, forced swim test, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, glutathione, lipid peroxides |
| Topics | Anxiety Ketamine Esketamine |
| Keywords | Clozapine Open field Schizophrenia object-oriented programming Papaverine Oxidative stress Fluoxetine Pharmacology Behavioural despair test Cognition Cognitive deficit Hippocampal formation Elevated plus maze |
| Key findings | Papaverine, a phosphodiesterase-10 inhibitor, significantly reversed ketamine-induced schizophrenia-like behavioral, biochemical, and histological alterations in mice. |
Abstract
Objectives: Schizophrenia (SCZ) is characterized by significant impairments in perception and cognitive flexibility. Making accurate plans for therapy demands a deeper comprehension of the brain mechanisms behind these disorders. The purpose of our investigation is to analyze the protective effects of papaverine, a phosphodiesterase-10 inhibitor, on ketamine-induced SCZ -like behavioral and biochemical alterations in mice.
Methods: For 10 consecutive days, mice were exposed to ketamine (30 mg/kg; i.p.) to develop a SCZ-like phenotype. Various behavioral tests, including social interactions, catalepsy, cognitive impairment (Morris water maze), locomotor and anxiety (open field test), and immobility duration (forced swim test), were assessed. Biochemicals (acetylcholinesterase [AChE] activity, glutathione, and lipid peroxides), and histopathological alterations were also investigated. In this study, papaverine (30 mg/kg; i.p.) and clozapine (7.5 mg/kg p.o.) served as test and standard, respectively. Results were statistically analyzed and “one-way ANOVA” was performed, and Tukey’s multiple comparison test was subsequently applied.”
Results: After 28 days of ketamine therapy, significant (p≤0.05) behavioral alterations have been noted, including increased immobility duration, altered locomotor and anxiety-like behaviors, social interactions, cognitive impairment, and catalepsy. Significant alterations in histopathology, AChE activity, and oxidative stress (increased lipid peroxides and lower glutathione) were also observed in mice treated with ketamine. Treatment with clozapine and papaverine considerably (p≤0.05) improved the biochemical changes, behavioral problems, and histological changes.
Conclusion: We may conclude that papaverine may have neurodefensive effects against ketamine-induced SCZ in mice based on behavioral, histological, and biochemical observations.