• Hayriye Soytürk, Bihter Gökçe Bozat, Fatma Pehlivan Karakas, Hamit Coskun, and Tulin Firat.
• Fatma Pehlivan Karakas, Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University, Department of Biology, 14280 Bolu, Turkey, fatmapehlivankarakas@gmail.com.
• Croat. Med. J. 2023 Aug 31; 64 (4): 231242231-242.

AimTo assess the protective effects of goji berry (Lycium barbarum L.) polysaccharides (LBP) on depression-like behavior in ovariectomized rats and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these effects.MethodsOne hundred female Wistar albino rats (three months old) were randomly assigned either to ovariectomy (n=50) or sham surgery (n=50). After a 14-day recovery period, the groups were divided into five treatment subgroups (10 per group): high-dose LBP (200 mg/kg), low-dose LBP (20 mg/kg), imipramine (IMP, 2.5 mg/kg), 17-beta estradiol (E2, 1 mg/kg), and distilled water. Then, rats underwent a forced swimming test. We also determined the levels of serum antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and malondialdehyde), E2 levels, hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), 5HT2A receptor, and transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells.ResultsBoth low-dose LBP and imipramine decreased depression-like behavior by increasing serum superoxide dismutase activity and by decreasing serum malondialdehyde level. Furthermore, low-dose LPB, high-dose LBP, and imipramine increased the number of 5-HT2A receptor- and BDNF-positive cells but decreased the number of TUNEL-positive cells in the hippocampus.ConclusionThis is the first study to show the antidepressant effect of LBP. Although additional research is needed, LBP may be considered a potential new antidepressant.

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