Prevention of ACTH- and adrenalectomy-induced muricidal behavior: by benzodiazepinic ligands.

We investigated the effect of treatment with central (neuronal and glial) benzodiazepine binding site-active molecules on ACTH- or adrenalectomy (ADX)-induced muricidal behavior in male Wistar rats. Pretreatment (IP) with either flumazenil or clonazepam prevented the subsequent induction of ADX-induced behavior, but only flumazenil protected against ACTH-induced behavior; posttreatment in both cases induced no significant modifications. Using 4'-chloro-diazepam or PK 11195, both pre- and posttreatment afforded protection, the effect lasting longer (> 1 week) than that induced by flumazenil or clonazepam (2 days). Pretreatment with the GABAA agonist, muscimol, also resulted in complete protection, whereas posttreatment had only a slight effect.