The systemic injection of diazepam (0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg), indorenate (5 and 10 mg/kg) and ipsapirone (2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg) reduced anxiety as tested in an exploratory avoidance model in mice. The injection of pindolol (2.0 mg/kg), alprenolol (5.0 mg/kg) or methiotepin (0.25 mg/kg) effectively prevented the anxiolytic action of indorenate and ipsapirone. The combined treatment of the antagonists with indorenate or ipsapirone did not reduce the motor activity, therefore suggesting that the inhibition of exploratory behaviour, after such combinations, was not mediated through a general motor impairment. Neither diazepam nor indorenate alone modified the motor activity; ipsapirone (5 and 2.5 mg/kg), however, reduced ambulation. This reduction was also prevented by administering pindolol, alprenolol or methiotepin. These observations suggest that the anxiolytic actions of indorenate and ipsapirone are mediated via stimulation of the 5-HT1A like receptor subtype.