title: Curcumin reverses corticosterone-induced depressive-like behavior and decrease in brain BDNF levels in rats.
abstract: A rat model of depression has been recently developed using exogenous corticosterone (CORT) administration. This study aimed to examine the antidepressant-like effect and the possible mechanisms of curcumin in a CORT-induced depression model in rats. The results showed that 3-week CORT injections caused depression-like behavior in rats, as indicated by the significant decrease in sucrose consumption and increase in immobility time in the forced swim test. Repeated CORT injections also significantly decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein levels in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of the rats. Treatment of the rats with curcumin significantly suppressed the depression-like behavior and the decrease in brain BDNF levels induced by the repeated CORT injections. The results suggest that curcumin produces an antidepressant-like effect in CORT-treated rats, which is possibly mediated by increasing BDNF expression in the hippocampus and frontal cortex.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang, China. zhen626@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xiao-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Zhao-Yi
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chun-Rong
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Ai-Juan
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Qing-Qiu
authors.initials: QQ
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity*; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003863:Depression / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D003474:Curcumin; D003345:Corticosterone