Antidepressant-like effect of schisandrin in mice / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE To explore the antidepressant effect and the underlying mechanisms of schisandrin (SCH), a component of the fruits of Schizandra chinesis. METHODS The forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) in mice were used to evaluate the antidepressant activity of SCH (5, 10, and 30 mg · kg-1) following single administration intragastrically, and the locomotor activity was investigated to exclude its neural excitatory effects. Effects of SCH on neural monoamine systems were studied in two pharmacological models, including reserpine induced monoamine depletion test and yohimbine toxicity potentiation test. RESULTS In behavioral despair models, SCH (30 mg·kg-1) signif?icantly decreased the immobility time in the TST and FST (P<0.05) compared with normal control group. Results of the locomotor activity experiment showed that SCH had no excitatory or inhibitory actions on the central nervous system. In the reserpine reversal experiment, SCH (30 mg · kg-1) antagonized thepalpebral ptosis and akinesia symptoms caused by reserpine(2.5 mg · kg-1) treatment (P<0.05) compared with model group, but had little effect on the drop of the anal temperature. Moreover, SCH did not increase the lethality caused by subcutaneous injection of yohimbine (30 mg · kg-1)at the threshold lethal dosage. CONCLUSION SCH exerts potential antidepressant-like effect in mice.