title: Possible involvement of corticosterone and serotonin in antidepressant and antianxiety effects of chromium picolinate in chronic unpredictable mild stress induced depression and anxiety in rats.
abstract: In the present study, we investigated the effects of chromium picolinate (CrP) on behavioural and biochemical parameters in chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) induced depression and anxiety in rats. The normal and stressed male Swiss albino rats were administered CrP (8 and 16μg/mL in drinking water), they received stressors for seven days (each day one stressor) and this cycle was repeated three times for 21 days. On 22nd day, behaviour assessments followed by biochemical estimations were conducted. The results showed that treatment of CrP produced significant antidepressant effect, which has been evidenced by decrease in immobility time in modified forced swimming test (FST) in chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) induced depression in rats. In elevated plus maze (EPM), CrP (16μg/mL) showed significant reduction in time spent in open arm. CrP (8μg/mL and 16μg/mL) also showed significant decrease in number of entries in open arm that shows antianxiety effect of CrP in CUMS rats. It was also found that CrP (8 and 16μg/mL) significantly increased 5-HT concentration in the discrete regions of brain (cortex and cerebellum). On the other hand, the plasma corticosterone level was significantly decreased with CrP (16μg/mL). The results suggested that increase in the concentration of 5-HT and decrease in plasma corticosterone levels could be responsible for improvement in symptoms of depression and anxiety in CUMS induced depression and anxiety in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University), New Delhi 110062, India.
authors.forename: Vivek Kumar
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Dubey
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University), New Delhi 110062, India.
authors.forename: Faraha
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University), New Delhi 110062, India.
authors.forename: Divya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vohora
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates; Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University), New Delhi 110062, India. Electronic address: drrazia@gmu.ac.ae.
authors.forename: Razia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khanam
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood*; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D010848:Picolinic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D013550:Swimming
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D010848:Picolinic Acids; D012701:Serotonin; C030614:picolinic acid; D003345:Corticosterone
keywords: Anxiety; Chromium picolinate; Chronic unpredictable mild stress; Corticosterone; Depression