Structural Features and Potent Antidepressant Effects of Total Sterols and β-sitosterol Extracted from Sargassum horneri

  • Mar Drugs. 2016 Jun 28;14(7):123. doi: 10.3390/md14070123.
Donghai Zhao  1 ,  Lianwen Zheng  2 ,  Ling Qi  3 ,  Shuran Wang  4 ,  Liping Guan  5 ,  Yanan Xia  6 ,  Jianhui Cai  7
Affiliations
  • 1. The Basic Medical College, Jilin Medical University, Jilin 132013, China. [email protected].
  • 2. The Second Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China. [email protected].
  • 3. The Basic Medical College, Jilin Medical University, Jilin 132013, China. [email protected].
  • 4. The Basic Medical College, Jilin Medical University, Jilin 132013, China. [email protected].
  • 5. Food and Pharmacy College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, China. [email protected].
  • 6. Food and Pharmacy College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, China. [email protected].
  • 7. The Basic Medical College, Jilin Medical University, Jilin 132013, China. [email protected].
PMID: 27367705 DOI: 10.3390/md14070123
Abstract

The purified total sterols and β-sitosterol extracted from Sargassum horneri were evaluated for their antidepressant-like activity using the forced swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) in mice. Total sterols and β-sitosterol significantly reduced the immobility time in the FST and TST. Total sterols were administered orally for 7 days at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, and β-sitosterol was administered intraperitoneally at doses of 10, 20, and 30 mg/kg. β-sitosterol had no effect on locomotor activity in the open field test. In addition, total sterols and β-sitosterol significantly increased NE, 5-HT, and the metabolite 5-HIAA in the mouse brain, suggesting that the antidepressant-like activity may be mediated through these neurotransmitters.

Keywords
FST; Sargassum horneri; TST; monoamine neurotransmitters; sterols; β-sitosterol.
Products