The Effect of Alkylglycerol Ethers on Anxiety

Objective — To evaluate the potential of alkylglycerol ethers (AGEs) for enhancing behavioral models. Methods — AGEs for the experiment were isolated from the digestive gland of the gonad squid (Berryteuthis magister) and purified using conventional methods. The AGE composition was determined by chromatography (GC and GC-MS). Male Wistar rats (15 rats in the experimental group and 15 rats in the control group) were used for behavioral studies. The experimental group received 200 mg/kg AGEs for 22 days. Behavioral studies were conducted using two tests: the Y-maze and the marble burying. Results — In the Y-maze test, there we revealed no statistically significant differences between animals in the number of errors or overall behavioral activity. There were no significant differences in marble burying test results before AGE treatment and on Day 8 of the experiment. On Day 22 of the experiment, animals in the control group buried more marbles than animals receiving AGEs (p=0.040). Conclusion — The effect of AGEs is more closely related to anxiety, particularly obsessive-compulsive behavior, than to memory. AGEs reduced anxiety levels in rats, thereby improving their adaptation.