title: Gastrodin ameliorates anxiety-like behaviors and inhibits IL-1beta level and p38 MAPK phosphorylation of hippocampus in the rat model of posttraumatic stress disorder.
abstract: Gastrodin, a main constituent of a Chinese herbal medicine, has been shown to be effective in treating various mood disorders. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether gastrodin could ameliorate stress-associated behavior in a rat model of enhanced single prolonged stress (ESPS)-induced posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Following ESPS, rats were administered orally with gastrodin (50, 100, or 200 mg/kg daily) or vehicle for 2 weeks. Animals were then tested in the open field and elevated plus-maze, and the levels of IL-6 and IL-1beta, the expression of iNOS, p38 and phospho-p38 (p-p38) in hippocampus were also tested. ESPS exposure resulted in pronounced anxiety-like behavior, elevated IL-6 and IL-1beta levels, and the higher expression of iNOS and p-p38 in hippocampus. However, repeated treatment with gastrodin, particularly at higher doses, reversed the aforementioned changes, including anxiety-like behavior, levels of IL-6 and IL-1beta, and the expression of iNOS and the p38 MAPK phosphorylation. These results indicate that gastrodin possesses anxiolytic effect and may be an effective herbal preparation for the treatment of PTSD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. tanqingr@fmmu.edu.cn and xskzhu@fmmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001592:Benzyl Alcohols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005960:Glucosides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001592:Benzyl Alcohols; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005960:Glucosides; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; C045345:gastrodin; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases