Abstract:Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of linalool in chronically stressed rats on their behaviour as related to depressive disorders and BDNF (brain-derived neurotropic factor) protein in the hippocampus. Methods: Either Tween 80 or linalool (50, 160, 500 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally administered to rats, daily, for two weeks. Some rats were housed in home cages but the others were induced with chronic restrained stress (15 min daily). At the end of the treatment, the rats were assessed for depressive-like behaviour using the forced swimming test. At the end of the behaviour test, the animals were immediately decapitated and the hippocampus of each animal was removed for the measurement of the BDNF protein by ELISA. Result: The immobility time was significantly increased (p < 0.05) but time of climbing was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The restrained rats treated with linalool, 500 mg/kg, displayed immobility times less than those of their controls (p < 0.05) while these rats showed significantly more climbing than in the control rats (p < 0.05). Linalool showed no effect on the BDNF protein in the hippocampus. Conclusions: linalool decreases behaviour related to depressive disorders but it has no effect on the BDNF protein in chronic restrained stress.
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