title: The effects of a standardized Acanthopanax koreanum extract on stress-induced behavioral alterations in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The roots and stem bark of Acanthopanax koreanum Nakai (Araliaceae), a well-known herbal medicine in Jeju Island, Korea, has been used as a tonic agent in treating stress-related states. Despite its popular application, the anti-anxiety or anti-depressive action of Acanthopanax koreanum is not yet known.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to determine the effects of Acanthopanax koreanum on stress-induced behavioral alterations such as anxiety and depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice in the acute stress group were exposed to immobilization stress for 2h followed by electric foot shocks (0.5 mA in 1 s duration with a 10 s inter-shock interval) for 2 min, while sub-chronically stressed mice were exposed to these stresses for 2 weeks, once per day. 70% ethanolic extract of Acanthopanax koreanum (EEAK) (25, 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg) was administered once or sub-chronically (for 2 weeks) 1h prior to stress induction. Anxiety- or depression-like behavioral changes were evaluated using the elevated plus-maze (EPM) test and the forced swimming test (FST) a day after the final stress induction. Corticosterone levels and spleen weight were measured after conducting all the behavioral assays. The numbers of BrdU- or DCX-immunopositive cells in the hippocampal region of sub-chronically stressed mice were measured 2 days after EEAK treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of time spent in the open arms was decreased in both the acutely and chronically stressed mice. In the FST, the immobility time was increased by only chronic stress, but not by acute stress. Acute or sub-chronic administration of EEAK significantly prevented the anxiety- or depression-like behavioral changes caused by stress. EEAK also attenuated stress-induced decrease and increase of spleen weight and corticosterone levels, respectively. Furthermore, the sub-chronic administration of EEAK (100 or 200 mg/kg, for 2 weeks) increased the number of BrdU-, doublecortin-, and neuropeptide Y-positive cells in the hippocampal region of the sub-chronically stressed mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EEAK attenuated the behavioral and biochemical changes in acute or sub-chronic stressed mice. These results suggest the therapeutic potential of Acanthopanax koreanum for the treatment of stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders including anxiety disorders or major depressive disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jun Man
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Se Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Young Woo
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyung Eun
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung In
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Jae Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lew
authors.forename: Eunyoung
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Jae Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.forename: Jong Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ryu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D000089662:Doublecortin Protein; D028001:Eleutherococcus; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D055670:Medicine, Korean Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D024301:Plant Bark; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018517:Plant Roots; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; C000714847:Dcx protein, mouse; D000089662:Doublecortin Protein; D010936:Plant Extracts; D003345:Corticosterone
keywords: 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine; Acanthopanax koreanum; Anxiety; BrdU; DCX; DG; Depression; EEAK; EPM; FST; HPA axis; NPY; PBS; RG; SGZ; Stress; dentate gyrus; doublecortin; elevated plus-maze test; ethanolic extract of Acanthopanax koreanum; forced swimming test; hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis; neuropeptide Y; phosphate-buffered saline; red ginseng; subgranular zone