Soyo-san reduces depressive-like behavior and proinflammatory cytokines in ovariectomized female rats.
BACKGROUND
Soyo-san is a traditional oriental medicinal formula, a mixture of 9 crude drugs, and it has been clinically used for treating mild depressive disorders. The role of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in psychiatric disorders has been the focus of great research attention in recent years. In the present study, we detected the antidepressant effect of soyo-san in the ovariectomized and repeated stressed female rats.


METHODS
This study was designed to evaluate the antidepressant-like effect of soyo-san on the forced swimming test (FST). The rats were randomly divided into the following groups: the nonoperated and nonstressed group (non-op), the nonoperated and stressed group (non-op + ST), the ovariectomized and stress group (OVX) and sham operated and stressed group (sham), the ovariectomized and stressed group (OVX + ST), the ovariectomized, stressed and soyo-san 100 mg/kg treated group (SOY100) and the ovariectomized, stressed and soyo-san 400 mg/kg treated group (SOY400). The rats were exposed to immobilization stress (IMO) for 14 day (2 h/14 day), and soyo-san (100 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg) was administrated during the same time. In the same animals, the levels of corticosterone and interleukin-1-beta (IL-1β) were examined in the serum. Also, the change of IL-1β expression in brain regions was examined after behavior test.


RESULTS
In the FST, the lower dose (100 mg/kg) of extract was effective in reducing immobility, along with an increase in swimming time. The serum levels of corticosterone and IL-1β in the SOY groups were significantly lower than those in the control group. In the brain, the expression of IL-1β positive neurons in the control group were significantly increased in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and hippocampus compared to the non-op. However, soyo-san groups significantly reduced the IL-1β-ir neurons in the PVN and hippocampal regions compared to the control.


CONCLUSIONS
The present results demonstrated that soyo-san effectively reduced behavioral and patho-physiological depression-like responses.


BACKGROUND
Our results suggest that soyo-san may be useful for immune regulator in repeated stress-induced ovariectomized female rats.
Hyun-Jung
HJ
Park
Hyun-Soo
HS
Shim
Sun Yong
SY
Chung
Tae Hee
TH
Lee
Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center (AMSRC), Kyung Hee University,1 Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea. ishim@khu.ac.kr.
Insop
I
Shim
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D019684:Magnoliopsida; D010052:Ovariectomy; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011897:Random Allocation; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D003345:Corticosterone