Agmatine attenuates hyperactivity and weight loss associated with activity-based anorexia in female rats

• ABA showed greater wheel running, suppressed food consumption and weight loss.
• Agmatine treatment normalized wheel running activity and food intake.
• Estrous cycle disruptions and body weight loss were also reversed by agmatine.
• Agmatine treatment restored corticosterone levels in ABA exposed rats.

Anorexia nervosa is a debilitating eating disorder characterized by hypophagia, body weight loss, amenorrhea and intense fear of weight gain. In present study, the effect of subchronic agmatine treatment on development of activity based anorexia (ABA) in female rats has been investigated. Animals were injected with saline or agmatine (10–40 mg/kg, ip) just before the onset of dark phase and shifted to experimental cage with wheel for ABA test for 10 days. A pre-weighed quantity of food pellets (10 g) was placed daily for a restricted period of only 2 h (1700–1900 h) and food intake was monitored (g) manually by weighing the leftover food. Rats restricted to ABA paradigm, showed greater wheel running, suppressed food consumption, disrupted estrous cycle and weight loss. On the other hand, subchronic agmatine (10–40 mg/kg, ip, for 10 days) treatment decreased wheel running activity, pronounced increased in food intake and restored body weights as compared to saline treated animals. Further, agmatine treatment decreased corticosterone levels in ABA rats, thereby stabilizing HPA axis in ABA rats. Subchronic agmatine treatment also prevented the disruptions of estrous cycle. Considering the common resistance of anorexia nervosa to current pharmacotherapy, the preliminary data on reduction of physical activity by agmatine, may have potential therapeutic importance. Thus, the role of agmatine in feeding behavior is likely to provide insight into the circumstances that facilitate treatment in eating disorders like anorexia nervosa.