Antidepressant effect of Yueju-Wan ethanol extract and its fractions in mice models of despair.
OBJECTIVE
Yueju-Wan (YJ), a traditional Chinese medicinal formula, is commonly used for the treatment of depression-related syndromes in China. This study was conducted to evaluate the antidepressant activity of YJ ethanol extract (YJ-E) and its four different fractions, the petroleum ether fraction (YJ-EA), ethyl acetate fraction (YJ-EB), n-butanol fraction (YJ-EC) and final aqueous fraction (YJ-ED).


METHODS
Two experimental despair animal models: the mice tail suspension test (TST) and the mice forced swimming test (FST) were used to evaluate the antidepressant activity of YJ-E and its fractions. These extracts or fractions were administered orally for 7 days, while the parallel positive control was given at the same time using fluoxetine hydrochloride (FLU) in TST and imipramine hydrochloride (IMI) in FST respectively.


RESULTS
YJ-E high dose (YJ-E2), YJ-EA, YJ-EC and the positive control groups could decrease the duration of immobility in the TST and FST and have no significant changes in locomotor activity. YJ-E low dose (YJ-E1), YJ-EB, YJ-ED and the vehicle solvent (VEH) control group have no obvious effect on these same tests.


CONCLUSIONS
In these despair animal models, YJ ethanol extract, the petroleum ether fraction and n-butanol fraction show potent antidepressant effects. The petroleum ether fraction and n-butanol fraction appear to be the active fractions of YJ-E.
Wei
X H
XH
Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China. xhweixh@hotmail.com
Cheng
X M
XM
Shen
J S
JS
Wang
Z T
ZT
D020001:1-Butanol; D000085:Acetates; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000494:pharmacology; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000494:pharmacology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000431:Ethanol; D004987:Ethers; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000494:pharmacology; D019417:Hindlimb Suspension / Q000523:psychology; D007099:Imipramine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D012997:Solvents; D013550:Swimming / Q000523:psychology; D014867:Water
D000085:Acetates; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D004987:Ethers; D012997:Solvents; C531537:Yueju-Wan; D005473:Fluoxetine; D014867:Water; D000431:Ethanol; C007650:ethyl acetate; D020001:1-Butanol; D007099:Imipramine