• Qing-Qiu Mao, Zhen Huang, Siu-Po Ip, Yan-Fang Xian, and Chun-Tao Che.
• School of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong.
• Behav. Brain Res. 2012 Feb 1; 227 (1): 305-9.

AbstractRepeated injections of corticosterone (CORT) induce the dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, resulting in depressive-like behavior. This study aimed to examine the antidepressant-like effect and the possible mechanisms of total glycosides of peony (TGP) in the CORT-induced depression model in rats. The results showed that the 3-week CORT injections induced the significant increase in serum CORT levels in rats. Repeated CORT injections also caused depression-like behavior in rats, as indicated by the significant decrease in sucrose consumption and increase in immobility time in the forced swim test. Moreover, it was found that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein levels in the hippocampus and frontal cortex were significantly decreased in CORT-treated rats. Treatment of the rats with TGP significantly suppressed the depression-like behavior and increased brain BDNF levels in CORT-treated rats. The results suggest that TGP produces an antidepressant-like effect in CORT-treated rats, which is possibly mediated by increasing BDNF expression in the hippocampus and frontal cortex.Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

43 keywords...

hide…