Antidepressant, anxiogenic, and antinociceptive properties of levofloxacinin rats and mice

Levofloxacin, an optically active isomer of ofloxacin, is a fluorinated qui nolone with a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity. Fluoroquinolones ha ve been used for the treatment of bacterial infections for many years. Alth ough they were considered as relatively safe drugs, various adverse effects have recently been reported along with increase in the usage of new-genera tion fluoroquinolones. In the present study, some of the central nervous sy stem (CNS)-related side effects of levofloxacin were clarified in animals. Our results suggested that: levofloxacin (10-20-40 mg/kg ip) had no depress ion-like effect in the forced swimming test (FST) in rats; exerted anxiety- like effect in the elevated plus maze test in rats did not alter the locomo tor activity in rats; had no apparent effect on sleep latency but shortened the sleeping time on pentobarbital sleeping time in mice; and showed analg esic activity in acetic acid writhing and hot plate test in mice. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.