BEHAVIORAL AND IMMUNOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF THE ANTIHISTAMINE TERFENADINEIN OLFACTORY BULBECTOMIZED RATS

The effects of chronic treatment with the non-sedative histamine H-1 r eceptor antagonist terfenadine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) for 16 days on some beh avioural and immunological parameters were studied in the olfactory bu lbectomized (OB) rat model of depression. In the open field apparatus, OB rats showed a significant increase in ambulation and rearing score s. Following terfenadine treatment, this hyperactivity was significant ly attenuated. In untreated OB rats, neutrophils phagocytosis and lymp hocyte proliferation were significantly suppressed. Terfenadine admini stration markedly reversed the suppression of these immunological para meters in the treated OB animals, but did not reverse the abnormalitie s in the differential white blood cell count caused by bulbectomy. The se results suggest that the histamine H-1 receptor antagonist terfenad ine may have antidepressant properties and that terfenadine is effecti ve in reversing some of behavioural and immune changes in the olfactor y bulbectomized rat model of depression.