title: Involvement of monoaminergic system in the antidepressant-like effect of the flavonoid naringenin in mice.
abstract: Dietary flavonoids possess a multiplicity of neuroprotective actions in various central nervous pathophysiological conditions including depression. In this study, the neuropharmacological mechanism of the dietary flavonoid naringenin was investigated in the mouse behavioral models of depression. For this purpose, we investigated the influence of pretreatment with the inhibitors of serotonin or noradrenaline synthesis, p-chlorophenylalanine methyl ester or α-methyl-p-tyrosine, respectively in the anti-immobility effect of naringenin. Compared to the control group, naringenin significantly decreased the immobility time after acute treatment in the mouse tail suspension test (10, 20 and 50 mg/kg), but not in the forced swimming test, without producing locomotor alteration in the open-field test. In addition, pretreatment of mice with p-chlorophenylalanine methyl ester (100 mg/kg) or α-methyl-p-tyrosine (100 mg/kg) prevented the anti-immobility effect of naringenin (20 mg/kg) in the tail suspension test. Taken together, this data demonstrated that naringenin possessed potent antidepressant-like property via the central serotonergic and noradrenergic systems. Thus, our findings suggest the therapeutic potential of this dietary flavonoid in central nervous system disorders especially depression where monoaminergic systems are involved.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmaceutical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, Fujian Province, PR China. litaoyi@hqu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Li-Tao
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Cheng-Fu
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Cun-Cang
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Li-Pan
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D010134:Fenclonine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D044950:Flavanones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019417:Hindlimb Suspension / Q000379:methods; D046353:Immobility Response, Tonic / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D013550:Swimming / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D044950:Flavanones; D005473:Fluoxetine; C020261:4-chlorophenylalanine methyl ester; C005273:naringenin; D010134:Fenclonine