Antidepressant Effect and Mechanism of Honokiol on Acute and Chronic Stress Mouse / 中国药学杂志

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To abserve the antidepressant effect and mechanism of honokiol on acute and chronic stress mouse. METHODS: Forced swimming model of acute stress (FST) and chronic stress mice model were used. The acute stress mouse were randomized into a control group, a fluoxetine group (3.3 mg·kg-1), honokiol groups (2.5, 5, 10 mg·kg-1). The chronic stress mouse were randomized into a blank group, a model group, a fluoxetine group(3.3 mg·kg-1), honokiol groups (2.5, 5, 10 mg·kg-1). Then, the immobility time of forced swimming, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 2, 3- indole dioxygenase (IDO) contents in mouse brain tissue by Elisa Kit, and the expression of IDO mRNA in brain tissue used by quantitative real-time PCR were studied. RESULTS: (1)After acute stress, the immobility time of forced swimming in each treatment group was significantly shorter than that in the model group (P<0.05). The 5-HT content of fluoxetine and honokiol medium and high dose group was significantly higher than that of model group (P<0.05, P<0.01). The IDO content of honokiol high dose group was significantly higher than that of model group (P<0.05). (2)After chronic stress, the immobility time of the model group were significantly higher than the blank group (P<0.01). The 5-HT content in brain tissue of the model group was significantly lower than that of the blank group (P<0.01), the IDO content in brain tissue and its expression level of mRNA increased comparing with the normal group (P<0.01). For each treatment group, the immobility time of forced swimming, IDO content and the expression level of IDO mRNA was significantly decreased, and the 5-HT content was significantly increased, comparing with the model group with significant difference (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Honokiol can relieve the depression behavior of mouse and have certain antidepressant effect. The main mechanism may be associated with the increase of 5-HT, reduction of the tryptophan pathway enzyme IDO content and its gene expression level.