Effect of inulin-type hexasaccharide on forced swimming tests in mice and rats and DRL 72 s in rats / 中国药理学通报

ABSTRACT

AIM　To determine whether O-β -D-fructofuranosyl-〔(2→1 )-O-β-D-fructofuransyl〕4α-D-glucopyranoside (inulin-type hexasaccharide, IHS), a monomer extracted from the roots of Morinda of ficinalis How, has antidepressant action. METHODS Fo rced swimming tests in mice and rats and differential-reinforcement-of-low-r ate 72 second schedule (DRL 72 s) in rats were used. RESULTS In the forced swimming test in mice, IHS (80 mg*kg-1, po), like the effe ct of clinically effective antidepressant desipramine (10 mg*kg-1, ip)， produced significant decrease in immobility time. IHS (20 mg*kg-1，po ) also elicited significant decrease in immobility time in forced swimming test in rats, which was comparable to the effect of desipramine (40 mg*kg-1, po). Moreover, in the DRL 72 s in rats, IHS (5～10 mg*kg-1, ip), s imilar to desipramine (5 mg*kg-1, ip), elicited significant increase in reinforcers. CONCLUSION These findings demonstrate that IHS has antidepressant action and is an effective component extracted from the root s of Morinda officinalis How.