2. Academic Validation
  3. Antidepressant effect of helicid in chronic unpredictable mild stress model in rats

Antidepressant effect of helicid in chronic unpredictable mild stress model in rats

  • Int Immunopharmacol. 2019 Feb;67:13-21. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2018.11.052.
Jiucui Tong 1,  Zhiming Zhou 2,  Weiwei Qi 3,  Siyan Jiang 4,  Bin Yang 4,  Zhengling Zhong 4,  Yuanwei Jia 4,  Xuyi Li 3,  Lei Xiong 5,  Liuwang Nie 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Provincial Key Lab. of the Conservation and Exploitation Research of Biological Resources in Anhui, Life Science College of Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China; Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Anhui Provincial Center for Drug Clinical Evaluation, Wuhu, Anhui 241001, China.
  • 2 Department of Neurology, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui 241001, China.
  • 3 Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui 241001, China.
  • 4 Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Anhui Provincial Center for Drug Clinical Evaluation, Wuhu, Anhui 241001, China.
  • 5 Provincial Key Lab. of the Conservation and Exploitation Research of Biological Resources in Anhui, Life Science College of Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China; Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui 241001, China.
  • 6 Provincial Key Lab. of the Conservation and Exploitation Research of Biological Resources in Anhui, Life Science College of Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 30530165 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2018.11.052
Abstract

Helicid (4-formylphenyl-β-D-allopyranoside) is a bioactive constituent of Helicid nilgirica Bedd that has been used in Chinese traditional herbal medicine to treat headache, insomnia, and depression. However, the underlying mechanisms of these effects are unclear. We have now investigated the effect of helicid on depression-related behaviors in rats exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) and have also explored possible underlying mechanisms that involve neurotrophin expression. After 6 weeks isolation, body weight and sucrose preference were significantly reduced in rats with CUMS-induced depression compared with controls. The CUMS rats also showed significant inhibition of locomotory parameters in open field tests (involving behavioral assays). Helicid significantly regulated levels of corticosterone (CORT), inflammatory cytokines and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). Helicid also reversed CUMS-induced decreases of 5-HT1A receptor expression and promoted brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in the hippocampus The significant reversal of depressive-like behaviors by helicid is similar to that achieved by fluoxetine. The antidepressive effects are likely attributable to the promotion of hippocampal neurotrophin expression through activation of the serotonergic system. Helicid thus has potential for treating depressive disorders.

Keywords

Antidepressant; Chronic unpredictable mild stress; Helicid; Inflammatory cytokine; Serotonergic system.

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