title: Vaccinium myrtillus ameliorates unpredictable chronic mild stress induced depression: possible involvement of nitric oxide pathway.
abstract: Chronic unpredictable stressors can produce a situation similar to clinical depression and such animal models can be used for the preclinical evaluation of antidepressants. Nitric oxide, a secondary messenger molecule, has been implicated in neurotransmission, synaptic plasticity, learning, aggression and depression. Vaccinium myrtillus (bilberry) extract is a potent inhibitor of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species and cytokine production. The present study investigated the role of nitric oxide in the antidepressant action of Vaccinium myrtillus in unpredictable chronic mild stress-induced depression in mice. Animals were subjected to different stress paradigms daily for a period of 21 days to induce depressive-like behavior. Pretreatment with L-arginine significantly reversed the protective effect of bilberry (500 mg/kg) on chronic stress-induced behavioral (immobility period, sucrose preference) and biochemical (lipid peroxidation and nitrite levels; endogenous antioxidant activities) in stressed mice. Furthermore, L-NAME (10 mg/kg) pretreatment with a sub-effective dose of bilberry (250 mg/kg) significantly potentiated the protective effect of bilberry extract. The study revealed that modulation of the nitric oxide pathway might be involved in antidepressant-like effects of Vaccinium myrtillus in stressed mice.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Research Laboratory, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC Centre of Advanced Study, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, India.
authors.forename: Baldeep
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Vipin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: Anurag
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuhad
authors.forename: Kanwaljit
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chopra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D001120:Arginine / Q000009:adverse effects; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D029800:Vaccinium myrtillus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000872:Anthocyanins; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C073305:Vaccinium myrtillus extract; D001120:Arginine; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester