Effects of taurine on rat behaviors in three anxiety models

In our previous studies using an elevated plus-maze test in mice, taurine was shown to present an anxiolytic-like effect after single and repeated administration [Chen SW, Kong WX, Zhang YJ, Li YL, Mi XJ, Mu XS. Possible anxiolytic effects of taurine in the mouse elevated plus-maze. Life Sci 2004;75: 1503–11]. The aim of the present study was to investigate the anxiolytic and behavioral effects of taurine on rats in the open field, hole-board, and social interaction test compared to the positive control diazepam. Taurine (14, 42, and 126 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered 30 min before the tests. In the social interaction and hole-board tests, taurine (42 mg/kg) significantly increased social interaction time and the number and duration of head-dipping. In the open field test, taurine (126 mg/kg, i.p.) presented anxiolytic-like effects by increasing the number of center entries, time spent in the central area and the anti-thigmotactic score while having no effect on the locomotor activity. Results from these experiments suggest that taurine produces an anxiolytic-like effect in these animal models and may act as a modulator or anti-anxiety agent in the central nervous system.