Effects of diphenyl and p-chloro-diphenyl diselenides on feeding behavior of rats

• Published in: Psychopharmacology Vol. 232; no. 13; pp. 2239 - 2249
• Main Authors: Bortolatto, Cristiani F., Heck, Suélen O., Gai, Bibiana M., Zborowski, Vanessa A., Neto, José S. S., Nogueira, Cristina W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.07.2015; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Benzene Derivatives - pharmacology; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Biphenyl (Compound); Body Weight - drug effects; Body Weight - physiology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug therapy; Feeding Behavior - drug effects; Feeding Behavior - physiology; Male; Neurosciences; Obesity; Organoselenium Compounds - pharmacology; Original Investigation; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Physiological aspects; Properties; Psychiatry; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Rodents; Satiety Response - drug effects; Satiety Response - physiology; Selenium; Selenium (Nutrient); Serotonin; Studies; Brazil; Satiety; Rats; Meal pattern; Anorectic-like action; Selenium; Serotonin
• ISSN: 0033-3158; 1432-2072; 1432-2072
• DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3856-z

Rationale The searching for safe and effective antiobesity drugs has been the subject of intense research. Previous studies have shown several pharmacological applications of organoselenium compounds; however, their possible anorectic-like actions have not been investigated. Objective This study aims to investigate the effects of (PhSe) 2 and ( p -ClPhSe) 2 on feeding behavior of rats and their potential as weight-reducing agents. Methods The effects of intraperitoneal administration of diselenides were investigated through the microstructural pattern of feeding behavior, behavioral satiety sequence (BSS), hypothalamic serotonin (5-HT) uptake, body weight, and epididymal fat content of male rats. Results Our findings demonstrated that food intake of fasted rats was reduced by both diselenides (1 and 10 mg/kg). Diphenyl diselenide [(PhSe) 2 ] (1 mg/kg) and p -chloro-diphenyl diselenide [( p -ClPhSe) 2 ] (10 mg/kg) decreased the frequency, mean duration, and mean size of meals compared with the control treatment. The BSS structure was preserved when organoselenium compounds (1 mg/kg) were administered, and it was associated to a displacement to the left when the resting period started indicating a satiating action. Inhibition of 5-HT uptake in the hypothalamus (∼20 %) was also found in rats treated with low doses of (PhSe) 2 and ( p -ClPhSe) 2 (1 mg/kg). Treatments with a high dose of both diselenides (10 mg/kg) carried out for 7 days induced weight loss and epididymal fat reduction in sated rats. Conclusion This study suggests that diselenides caused a satiating action in rats that could be partially explained by the inhibition of hypothalamic 5-HT uptake. These organoselenium compounds were potential weight-reducing agents when repeatedly administered.