Objective. To study psychotropic activity of 4-aryl-2-benzoylmethylenhidrazono-4-oxobutanoic acids, as well as to determine the relationship between the structure of substances and their biological activity.
Materials and methods. The spectrum of psychotropic activity of 4-aryl-2-benzoylmethylenehydrazono-4-oxobutanoic acids was studied on experimental animals using the open field, black-and-white camera, and extrapolation deliverance tests.
Results. Psychopharmacological effects of various severity and direction were revealed. Two compounds showed anxiogenic properties without deterioration in cognitive potential, one substance displayed a trend to anxiolytic activity. The effect of the certain radicals in the structure of the substances on the studied activities was found.
Conclusions. The obtained links between the structure of original compounds and their psychotropic action can be used in further targeted synthesis and search for new domestic pharmaceutical substances with investigated effects in a series of derivatives of 2,4-dioxobutanoic acids.