title: Antidepressant-like effect of essential oil of Perilla frutescens in a chronic, unpredictable, mild stress-induced depression model mice.
abstract: Perilla frutescens (Perilla leaf), a garnishing vegetable in East Asian countries, as well as a plant-based medicine, has been used for centuries to treat various conditions, including depression. Several studies have demonstrated that the essential oil of P. frutescens (EOPF) attenuated the depressive-like behavior in mice. The present study was designed to test the anti-depressant effects of EOPF and the possible mechanisms in an chronic, unpredictable, mild stress (CUMS)-induced mouse model. With the exposure to stressor once daily for five consecutive weeks, EOPF (3, 6, and 9 mg·kg(-1)) and a positive control drug fluoxetine (20 mg·kg(-1)) were administered through gastric intubation to mice once daily for three consecutive weeks from the 3(rd) week. Open-field test, sucrose consumption test, tail suspension test (TST), and forced swimming test (FST) were used to evaluate the behavioral activity. The contents of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and its metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), in mouse hippocampus were determined by HPLC-ECD. Serum interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that CUMS significantly decreased the levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the hippocampus, with an increase in plasma IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels. CUMS also reduced open-field activity, sucrose consumption, as well as increased immobility duration in FST and TST. EOPF administration could effectively reverse the alterations in the concentrations of 5-HT and 5-HIAA; reduce the IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels. Moreover, EOPF could effectively reverse alterations in immobility duration, sucrose consumption, and open-field activity. However, the effect was not dose-dependent. In conclusion, EOPF administration exhibited significant antidepressant-like effects in mice with CUMS-induced depression. The antidepressant activity of EOPF might be related to the relation between alteration of serotonergic responses and anti-inflammatory effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Wei
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Rui-Peng
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Shu-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Xian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Xing-Xing
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China. Electronic address: fuqiang0114@sina.com.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China. Electronic address: spma@cpu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Shi-Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D031344:Perilla frutescens / Q000737:chemistry*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils
keywords: Anti-inflammation; Antidepressant; Chronic unpredictable mild stress; Essential oil; Perilla frutescens