Evaluation of neuroprotective, anticonvulsant, sedative and anxiolytic activity of citicoline in rats

Citicoline (cytidine-5′-diphosphocholine) is a neuroprotective agent that is administered following ischemic and traumatic brain injuries. There is little information about the antiseizure and anxiolytic effects of citicoline, which are therefore addressed in the present study. For evaluating the anticonvulsant effect of citicoline in the pentylentetrazole seizure model, a single intraperitoneal dose of citicoline was administered at 50, 100 or 150 mg/kg. Sedative and anxiolytic effects of citicoline were examined via elevated plus maze and pentobarbital induced sleep tests. Results show that citicoline at the doses of 100 and 150 mg/kg significantly delayed the latent period compared with the control (P<0.05). Citicoline at the doses of 100 and 150 mg/kg significantly decreased total locomotion compared with the control (P<0.05). Additionally, citicoline at the doses of 100 and 150 mg/kg significantly increased both percentage of entry and time spent in the open arms in the elevated plus maze test (P<0.05). The pentobarbital induced sleep test showed that citicoline significantly reduced the latency to sleep (P<0.05). Our results suggest that acute administration of citicoline has anticonvulsant activity and sedative effect.