title: Incensole acetate reduces depressive-like behavior and modulates hippocampal BDNF and CRF expression of submissive animals.
abstract: Incensole acetate (IA), a constituent of Boswellia resin ('frankincense'), was previously demonstrated to exhibit an antidepressive-like effect in the Forced Swim Test (FST) in mice following single dose administration (50 mg/kg). Here, we show that acute administration of considerably lower dose (10 mg/kg) IA to selectively bred mice, showing prominent submissive behavior, exerted significant antidepressant-like effects in the FST. Furthermore, chronic administration of 1 or 5 mg/kg per day of IA for three consecutive weeks dose- and time-dependently reduced the submissiveness of the mice in the Dominant-Submissive Relationship test, developed to screen the chronic effect of antidepressants. This behavioral effect was concomitant to reduced serum corticosterone levels, dose-dependent down-regulation of corticotropin releasing factor and up-regulation of brain derived neurotrophic factor transcripts IV and VI expression in the hippocampus. These data suggest that IA modulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and influences hippocampal gene expression, leading to beneficial behavioral effects supporting its potential as a novel treatment of depressive-like disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Ariel University Center of Samaria, Ariel, Israel.
authors.forename: Arieh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moussaieff
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: Elimelech
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nesher
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tikhonov
authors.forename: Gal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yadid
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinhasov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004291:Dominance-Subordination; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism; D013550:Swimming; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D004224:Diterpenes; C530368:incensole acetate; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone