Antidepressant-like effect of magnolol on BDNF up-regulation and serotonergic system activity in unpredictable chronic mild stress treated rats.
Magnolol is the main constituent identified in the barks of Magnolia officinalis, which has been used for the treatment of mental disorders including depression in China. In this study, we investigated the antidepressant-like effect of magnolol, and its possible mechanisms in rats subjected to unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS). High performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) and immunohistochemical staining analysis were applied to explore the mechanisms underlying the antidepressant-like effect of magnolol. Magnolol (20, 40 mg/kg) significantly reversed UCMS-induced reduction in sucrose consumption and deficiency in locomotor activity. In addition, it was observed that administration of magnolol (20, 40 mg/kg) restored brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression, and normalized the serotonergic system changes in the UCMS-treated rats. These results confirmed the antidepressant-like effect of magnolol, which might be based primarily on its ability to increase the BDNF expression and enhance the activity of the serotonergic system in rat brains.
Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China.
Lu-Fan
LF
Li
Jie
J
Lu
Xiu-Min
XM
Li
Chang-Liang
CL
Xu
Ji-Min
JM
Deng
Rong
R
Qu
Shi-Ping
SP
Ma
D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000187:drug effects; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017705:Lignans / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D031566:Magnolia / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013395:Sucrose / Q000737:chemistry
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D017705:Lignans; C005498:magnolol; D013395:Sucrose