ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE Toinvestigatetheantidepressantandantianxietyeffectofproanthocyani-dins(OPC)inchronicallystressedratsanditsunderlyingmechanism.METHODS Onemethodwas selected from 8 different stress methods each day,and the rats were treated with OPC (25,50 and 1 00 mg·kg -1 )1 h before the stress method.The chronically stressed model was established.After 21 d stress experi ment,the i mmobility ti me in force swi mming test,sucrose consu mption and the nu mber of marbles buried in the marble burying test were observed respectively each day.OPC (25,50 and 1 00 mg·kg -1 )was given 1 h before each test.In addition,Western blotting was used to analyze the expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylated cyclic AMP response element-bindingprotein(p-CREB)inthehippocampusandfrontalcortex.RESULTS Comparedwith the control group,the chronically stressed group showed obvious depressive-like and anxiety-like behav-ior,while the immobility time decreased from (90.57 ±4.27)s in chronically stressed group to (78.25 ± 2.53)s (P<0.05),(72.12 ±3.21 )s(P<0.05)and (60.77 ±3.41 )s (P<0.05)when ig given OPC 25,50 and 100 mg·kg -1 respectively,the ratio of sucrose preference increased from (42.80 ±4.92)%to (67.54 ±4.32)%(P<0.05)and (72.21 ±7.99)%(P<0.05)when ig given OPC 50 and 1 00 mg· kg -1 respectively,the number of buried marbles decreased from 1 .57 ±0.21 in chronically stressed group to 0.63 ±0.26 (P<0.05)and 0.44 ±0.1 8 (P<0.05)when ig given OPC 50 and 1 00 mg·kg -1 respectively.The expression of p-CREB in the hippocampus and frontal cortex distinctively increased in OPC group (25,50 and 100 mg·kg -1 )(P<0.05),so did the expression of BDNF in the hippocampus andfrontalcortexinOPCgroup(50and100mg·kg-1)(P<0.05).CONCLUSION OPCcanreverse the depressive-like and anxiety-like behavior in chronically stressed rats,which may be related to the cAMP-CREB-BDNF signal transduction cascades.