Antidepressant and Antiaging Effects of Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) in Mice

Abstract

Depression is a mental disorder that affects 300 million people of all ages worldwide, but fewer than half of those with the condition receive adequate treatment. In addition, the high pharmacological refractoriness (affecting 30%-50% of patients) and toxicity of some classical antidepressants support the pursuit of new therapies. People with this condition show depressed mood, loss of pleasure, high levels of oxidative stress, and accelerated biological aging (decreased telomere length and expression of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), the enzyme responsible for telomere maintenance). Because of the close relationship between depression and oxidative stress, nutraceuticals with antioxidant properties are excellent candidates for therapy. This study represents the first investigation of the possible antidepressant and antiaging effects of commercial samples of clarified açaí (Euterpe oleracea) juice (EO). This fruit is rich in antioxidants and widely consumed. In this study, mice were treated with saline or EO (10 μL/g, oral) for 4 days and then with saline or lipopolysaccharide (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) to induce depressive-like behavior. Only four doses of EO were enough to abolish the despair-like and anhedonia behaviors and alterations observed in electromyographic measurements. The antidepression effect of EO was similar to that of imipramine and associated with antioxidant and antiaging effects (preventing lipid peroxidation and increasing TERT mRNA expression, respectively) in three major brain regions involved in depression (hippocampus, striatum, and prefrontal cortex). Additionally, EO significantly protected hippocampal cells, preventing neuronal loss associated with the depressive-like state and nitrite level increases (an indirect marker of nitric oxide production). Moreover, EO alone significantly increased TERT mRNA expression, revealing for the first time a potent antiaging action in the brain that suggests neuroprotection against long-term age-related consequences.

Long-Term Treatment with Fluvoxamine Decreases Nonmotor Symptoms and Dopamine Depletion in a Postnatal Stress Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease

“…In fact, we found that all Fluvoxamine-treated rats did not show a preference for the use of the left forelimb (unimpaired) in the cylinder test suggesting a reduced toxic effect of the neurotoxin 6-OHDA due to the treatment. This major finding agreed with results from previous studies that showed that antidepressants can reduce MDA levels thereby significantly protecting striatal, prefrontal, and hippocampal cells and preventing neuronal loss associated with both chronic stress and 6-OHDA neurotoxicity [83][84][85][86][87]. We, therefore, postulated that Fluvoxamine possesses antioxidant properties (responsible for mopping up the free radicals generated by the autooxidation of 6-OHDA) and antitoxicity potential that reduced 6-OHDA neurotoxicity.…”

Plant-Derived Bioactives and Oxidative Stress-Related Disorders: A Key Trend towards Healthy Aging and Longevity Promotion

“…In another study, the effects of Euterpe oleracea juice were studied. The juice was administered over four days to mice treated with lipopolysaccharide to induce a depressive-like behavior [195]. The treatment was capable of reducing despair-like and anhedonic behaviors and showed alterations in electromyographic analysis.…”

Towards Therapeutic Alternatives for Mercury Neurotoxicity in the Amazon: Unraveling the Pre-Clinical Effects of the Superfruit Açaí (Euterpe oleracea, Mart.) as Juice for Human Consumption

“…Clarified juice of E. oleracea (EO) is available on the international market and is often used as a base for energy drinks [26]. EO already demonstrated a potent neuroprotective effect with conditions as serious as seizures or depression [25,27]. Although initially attributed to its antioxidant properties, both in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that EO is able to act in diverse targets, such the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) mRNA expression [27].…”

“…EO already demonstrated a potent neuroprotective effect with conditions as serious as seizures or depression [25,27]. Although initially attributed to its antioxidant properties, both in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that EO is able to act in diverse targets, such the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) mRNA expression [27]. The TERT is the enzyme responsible for telomere length, presently considered as the biological clock in the countdown of the cells’ senescence.…”