Antidepressant properties of some phosphodiesterase inhibitors.

Effects of three phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors (rolipram, IBMX, and Ro 20-1724) were studied in mice in some tests predictive for antidepressant activity. All the drugs antagonized reserpine-induced hypothermia and slightly antagonized reserpine-evoked hypoactivity. Rolipram and IBMX were also effective in behavioral despair test. On the other hand, the examined PDE inhibitors did not affect apomorphine-induced hypothermia and did not potentiate the central action of L-DOPA. These results show that psychopharmacological profile of the PDE inhibitors differs from that of classical imipramine-like antidepressants.