title: Oral administration of Cimicifuga racemosa extract affects immobilization stress-induced changes in murine cerebral monoamine metabolism.
abstract: We investigated the effects of Cimicifuga racemosa (CR) plant extracts on the changes in levels of the cerebral monoamines norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), and serotonin (5-HT), the respective metabolites 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and plasma corticosterone in mice subjected to acute immobilization stress. Single oral administration of the CR extract (1,000 mg/kg) significantly attenuated plasma corticosterone levels that had been increased as a result of enforced immobilization. Acute immobilization stress caused significant changes in the corresponding amine-to-metabolite ratios in the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and cortex; however, CR-extract treatment significantly attenuated the MHPG/NE change in the hypothalamus, and the 5-HIAA/5- HT changes in each region of the brain. Our results suggest that the CR extract interacts not only with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis but also with the sympathetic adrenomedullary (SAM) system under stress conditions. Thus the CR extract can alleviate acute stress responses by suppressing the changes of amine-to-metabolite ratio in brain.
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratories for Fundamental Technology of Food, Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd., 1-21, Midori 1-Chome, Moriya-shi, Ibaraki, 302-0106, Japan. nadaokai@wakodo.co.jp
authors.forename: Isao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nadaoka
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yasue
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sami
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D031885:Cimicifuga / Q000737:chemistry*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007103:Immobilization; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012701:Serotonin; D004298:Dopamine; D003345:Corticosterone; D009638:Norepinephrine