ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE Toexploretheantidepressanteffectsofalbiflorinandtheinvolvementof hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis function in its antidepressant potency.METHODS Two weeks after the olfactory bulbectomized (OB)surgery,albiflorin (2.5 ,5.0 ,10.0 mg·kg -1 ,ig) and imipramine 5.0 mg·kg -1 (ig)were given to rats twice a day for 14 d.The open-field test was con-ducted to evaluate the move ment distance,move ment ti me and velocity of olfactory bulbecto mized rats and sham-operated rats.The serum levels of corticosterone(CORT)and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)in rats were measured by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.The expression levels of glucocorticoids receptor (GR)in the hippocampus of the rats were analyzed using Western blot proce-dures.RESULTS Comparedwithsham-operatedrats,movementdistance,movementtimeandveloci-ty of the OB rats were significantly increased (P<0.01 ).Albiflorin 1 0.0 mg·kg -1 significantly reduced the movement distance,movement time and velocity of OB rats (P<0.05)after being given for 7 d. The movement properties were significantly reduced by albiflorin 5.0 and 10.0 mg·kg -1 when given for 14 d (P<0.05).The OB rats demonstrated significantly increased levels of serum CORT and ACTH (P<0.01 )and decreased GR expression in the hippocampus (P<0.01 ).Albiflorin 2.5,5.0 and 10.0 mg·kg -1 significantly reduced the serum CORT and ACTH levels (P<0.05),while albiflorin 5.0 and10.0mg·kg-1increasedtheexpressionofhippocampalGR(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Albiflorin may have re markable behavioral antidepressant effects on olfactory rats and one of the related mecha-nis ms may be its regulation of the hyperactivity of HPA axis function.