Acute treatment with 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, tropisetron, reduces immobility in intact female rats exposed to the forced swim test

The effects of tropisetron, a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, were evaluated in adult Fischer female rats exposed to the Forced Swim Test (FST). Rats selected on the days of proestrus or estrus was immersed in a cylinder of water for 2 consecutive days. Rats were exposed to the FST for 15 min on day 1 (pretest), followed by a 5-min session (test), 24 h later. The proestrous–estrous group consisted of rats that were exposed to the FST on their proestrous stage (pretest); then 24 h later the same rats were exposed to the FST on their estrous stage (test). Rats in the estrous–diestrous group were exposed to the FST on their estrous stage (pretest) and 24 h later on their diestrous stage (test). Rats were injected intraperitoneally with saline or 1.0 or 2.0 mg/kg tropisetron 30 min prior to exposure to the cylinder on the test day. Immobility, swimming, and struggling behaviors were scored for 5 min. There was a significant decline in immobility after treatment with 2.0 mg/kg tropisetron in both groups. In addition, a significant decline in swimming was observed in the estrous rats (proestrous–estrous group) after treatment with 2.0 mg/kg tropisetron. There were no significant effects of tropisetron on struggling in any groups examined.