Project Title: Preclinical evaluation of the efficacy of pharmaceuticals in alleviating the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder
Grant Holder: Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University (Project of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine)
State Registration Number: 0125U000396
Project Duration: January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2027
ABSTRACT (Brief Project Summary)
Given the scale of the hostilities in Ukraine resulting from the Russian invasion in February 2022, an increase in the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is expected among both military personnel and civilians who have experienced occupation. Currently, there is no highly effective treatment for PTSD, and even the best clinical practices rarely achieve an efficacy rate of 50%. Given the urgent need for effective PTSD treatment, we will employ a drug repurposing strategy. We will conduct a preclinical screening of a range of pharmaceutical drugs with established safety profiles and known therapeutic effects to assess their ability to alleviate PTSD symptoms using mice as an experimental model. The therapeutic effects of pharmacological agents will be evaluated by measuring reductions in anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in mice exposed to traumatic stress. For the most effective drugs, we plan to assess dose- and time-dependent effects and determine relevant biochemical markers.
Aim of the study – to evaluate the ability of selected pharmaceutical drugs from different pharmacotherapeutic groups to alleviate PTSD symptoms using a mouse model and to determine their dose- and time-dependent therapeutic effects.
Objectives:
- To evaluate the efficacy of drugs from different pharmacotherapeutic groups (hypnotics, antihistamines, anxiolytics, psychostimulants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, tonic agents, vitamins, metabolites, choleretic agents, and drugs affecting the digestive system) for the treatment of PTSD;
- To select the drug(s) demonstrating the highest efficacy in alleviating PTSD symptoms in mice for further preclinical testing;
- To investigate the efficacy of the selected drug(s) depending on the duration of administration and dosage;
- To investigate the ability of pharmacological agents to affect immune system and metabolic parameters based on biochemical and molecular markers identified during the implementation of Project No. 0123U101790.
EXPECTED PROJECT OUTCOMES
Despite the considerable number of pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches that have been used to date to treat patients with PTSD, there is no effective treatment that can be widely applied. The expected outcome of the project is to identify the ability of pharmaceutical drugs that have already been introduced into medical practice and are used to treat other diseases to alleviate PTSD symptoms. It is anticipated that the beneficial effects of some pharmacological agents will be manifested as normalizing changes in the behavior of mice and a reduction in PTSD-related biomarkers. The experimental approach selected for this project will also enable us to determine dose-dependent effects and establish the optimal duration of administration of the drug(s) in mice. The results of the project will make a significant contribution to identifying new approaches to the treatment of PTSD and associated pathological conditions.
Project Leader: Olha Strilbytska, PhD in Biology
E-mail: olha.strilbytska@pnu.edu.ua