title: A possible mechanism of antidepressant activity of beta-amyrin palmitate isolated from Lobelia inflata leaves in the forced swimming test.
abstract: A mechanism of antidepressant activity of beta-amyrin palmitate was studied using the forced swimming method in mice. Beta-amyrin palmitate (10 mg/kg) reduced the increase in the duration of immobility induced by tetrabenazine (100 and 200 mg/kg), but showed no effect on that in mice treated with alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine (500 mg/kg). Beta-amyrin palmitate (5 and 10 mg/kg) decreased the duration of immobility in mice treated with desipramine plus 6-hydroxy-dopamine (50 micrograms/mouse), but did not affect that induced by nomifensine plus 6-hydroxydopamine. The decreased immobility produced by desipramine (15 mg/kg) was not affected by beta-amyrin palmitate. A study of norepinephrine release in mouse brain synaptosomes indicated that beta-amyrin palmitate caused a release of [3H]norepinephrine. The results of the present study suggest that beta-amyrin palmitate might release norepinephrine from newly synthesized pools, and thus, it might activate noradrenergic activity.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Institute, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Subarnas
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tadano
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakahata
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kinemuchi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kisara
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohizumi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003891:Desipramine / Q000494:pharmacology; D007103:Immobilization / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009627:Nomifensine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D009828:Oleanolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D016627:Oxidopamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D013550:Swimming; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000737:chemistry; D013747:Tetrabenazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014315:Triterpenes; C079349:beta-amyrin palmitate; D014316:Tritium; D009627:Nomifensine; D009828:Oleanolic Acid; D016627:Oxidopamine; D003891:Desipramine; D009638:Norepinephrine; D013747:Tetrabenazine