Antidepressant-like Effects of Schisandra chinensis Baillon Water Extract on Animal Model Induced by Chronic Mild Stress

Hong

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

We investigated the antidepressant effect of creatine (CRE) and taurine (TAU) mixtures on behavioural changes and biomarkers in stress-induced depression in Drosophila melanogaster and a mouse model. Following CRE/TAU mixture administration in the Drosophila model, depression-like state induced by vibration, locomotion, climbing activity, and survival rate were measured. The normal stress (NS) group demonstrated decreased movement than the control (CON) group; movements in the CRE/TAUtreated group (particularly 0.15/0.5%) returned to the CON levels. Antidepressant effects of CRE/TAU mixtures were confirmed in a depressive mouse model induced by chronic mild stress. In behavioural assessments, movement and sucrose preference of the CRE/TAU group increased to a similar level as in the positive control group; hippocampal catecholamine and serotonin levels increased significantly. Stress-related hormones (adrenocorticotropic and corticotropin-releasing hormones) and inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) increased in the NS group but significantly decreased in the CRE/TAU-treated group. Brain signalling protein expression ratio of phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt)/Akt, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK)/ERK, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) significantly increased in the CRE/TAU-treated group. These results indicate that CRE/TAU-induced antidepressant effects are associated with increased behavioural patterns and downregulation of stress hormones and cytokines, mediated through Akt and ERK/BDNF pathways in vertebrate models. Depression, commonly known to render a person's mental state or physical activity incapacitated, is classified as one of the most dangerous diseases in modern society according to the World Health Organization (WHO), with a prevalence of 15-25% of the world's population 1,2. The etiology of depression remains unclear; however, biological, genetic, and social psychological factors are thought to interact with each other 3,4. Currently, most patients with depression are treated with synthetic drugs, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake blockers, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors 5. However, these chemically synthesised antidepressants have low reactivity and recovery rates and have side effects such as fatigue, sleep disorders, cognitive disorders, and sexual dysfunctions 6,7. Therefore, several studies have recently been undertaken owing to the increased demand for naturally derived antidepressants from medicinal plants and food-containing ingredients. The important physiological role of creatine (CRE) in depression has been confirmed in several clinical studies 8-10. Reportedly, there is a decrease in phosphocreatine in the brains of severely depressed patients 8. In particular, CRE supplements improve the mood of individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, fibromyalgia 9 , and therapy-resistant depres...

Section: Survival Rate Of D Melanogastermentioning

confidence: 99%

Creatine and taurine mixtures alleviate depressive-like behaviour in Drosophila melanogaster and mice via regulating Akt and ERK/BDNF pathways

Hong

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

Methylglyoxal is the main culprit to impairing neuronal function: mediated through tryptophan depletion

Samsuzzaman

Lee

Hong

et al. 2023

Preprint

Depression is a common and prevalent illness and the exact cause of major depressive disorder is not known. Here, we investigated how methylglyoxal (MGO) stress induces depression and unveiled the potential molecular mechanism. Our in vivo results suggested that MGO caused depression in mice, confirmed by several behavioral tests. Interestingly, it halted the tryptophan levels in the brain and its related neurotransmitters. In addition, MGO induced a reduction in the number of cells in different hippocampal regions. Moreover, it decreased tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1) and tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH2) levels in the brain and large intestine. Surprisingly, MGO showed the highest affinity and trapping ability toward tryptophan. Most importantly, combined treatment with MGO-tryptophan displayed similar effects as those exhibited by the tryptophan-null treatment in neuronal cells, which included neuronal apoptosis, decrease TPH1 and TPH2 levels, and inhibition of neuronal outgrowth. However, tryptophan treatment improved MGO induced depression-like behavior of mice and recovered the loss of neuronal and hippocampal cells. Subsequently, it also induced MGO detoxifying factors, tryptophan levels, and reduces inflammation in the intestine. Collectively, our data revealed that MGO induced depression facilitated by neuronal and synaptic dysfunction is mediated through the disturbance of tryptophan metabolism in the brain and intestine.

The Antidepressant Effects of Domestic Natural Mixed Fragrance Ingredients in Animal Models

Jung

2023

STRESS

Background: This study used inhalation toxicity experiments, open field experiments, and tail suspension tests to investigate the antidepressant effect of a combination of nine types of refined oils extracted from domestic native plants.Methods: Non-irritability was confirmed through an inhalation toxicity test, locomotor activity was measured using an open field test, and the antidepressant effect was assessed by measuring immobility time during a tail suspension test.Results: The inhalation toxicity test confirmed that both samples were non-stimulated with a negative stimulation index of 0.0. In the tail suspension experiment, the floating time was significantly shorter than the depression model, with an average of 142.33±18.31 seconds compared to the control group at 0.5% concentration (F=10.582, p＜.001).Conclusions: This study’s results suggest that combining refined oils extracted from domestic native plants could be used to develop prototypes that effectively alleviate depression. Future studies should include usability evaluation and human application tests to further investigate these potential benefits.