Effect of Medium-Term Injection of MDMA on the Anxiety of Male Rat with plus Maze Test

Acute administration of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is produced dose-dependent effects on anxiety-related behaviors. High doses of MDMA have anxiolytic effects and low doses of MDMA increases anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze test. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sub-chronic (7 days) effects of low doses of MDMA on anxiety in the male rat. In the present experimental study, 28 male Wistar rats were used with approximate weight 20 ± 200 g. Animals were randomly divided into 4 groups, 7 rats were used in each group and experimental groups for a week received different doses of MDMA (1.25, 2.5, 5 mg/kg) and sham group (1 ml/kg), received saline peritoneally. Anxiety one day before injection and 30 minutes after the last injection was performed by the elevated plus maze. Injection of MDMA significantly increased open arm time percentage that the highest observed in the experimental group received a dose of 5 mg/kg with mean 29.77±33.337. With increasing dose of MDMA increased open arm entry percentage that the difference between experimental group received a dose of 2.5 mg/kg and saline group was statistically significant (p<0.05). MDMA decreased pure index of locomotor activity. MDMA decreased open arm latency that the experimental group received a dose of 2.5 mg/kg less delay in entering the open arm compared to the other experimental groups, averaging 70.83±114.188 showed. Low doses of MDMA in sub-chronic (7 day) period can reduce some indices of anxiety in the rats.