title: Effect of Panax ginseng and diazepam on brain 5-hydroxytryptamine and its modification by diclofenac in rat.
abstract: Wistar male rats pretreated with anti-stress agents like, Panax ginseng (Pg) and diazepam (Diaz) were stressed by restraining for 1 h and 5-HT content of brain and hypothalamus as well as plasma corticosterone were measured spectrophotoflurometrically. Diclofenac (DICLO), a prostaglandin (PG) synthesis inhibitor was used to confirm the role of prostaglandin in restraint stress-induced elevation of central 5-HT correspondingly confirmed by elevation of plasma corticosterone and modification of the above anti-stress agents. Pg, Diaz and DICLO per se did not modify brain and hypothalamic 5-HT in control rats. But they attenuated stress-induced elevation of brain and hypothalamic 5-HT. Anti-stress action of both Pg and Diaz reflected by inhibition of stress-induced elevation of brain and hypothalamic content of 5-HT as also stress-induced concurrent elevation of plasma corticosterone were further diminished by DICLO. The mediatory action of 5-HT in anti-stress effects of Pg and Diaz may be modulated through prostaglandins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Dr. B.C. Roy Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University College of Medicine, Calcutta.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bhattcharyya
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Sur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D005894:Panax; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D004008:Diclofenac; D012701:Serotonin; D003975:Diazepam; D003345:Corticosterone