title: Effect of the fragrance inhalation of essential oil from Asarum heterotropoides on depression-like behaviors in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psychological stressors may cause affective disorders, such as depression and anxiety, by altering expressions of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), serotonin (5-HT), and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the brain. This study investigated the effects of essential oil from Asarum heterotropoides (EOAH) on depression-like behaviors and brain expressions of CRF, 5-HT, and TH in mice challenged with stress.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male ICR mice received fragrance inhalation of EOAH (0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 g) for 3 h in the special cage capped with a filter paper before start of the forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST). The duration of immobility was measured for the determination of depression-like behavior in the FST and TST. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine as positive control was administered at a dose of 15 mg/kg (i.p.) 30 min before start of behavioral testing. Immunoreactivities of CRF, 5-HT, and TH in the brain were also measured using separate groups of mice subjected to the FST.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EOAH at higher doses (1.0 and 2.0 g) reduced immobility time in the FST and TST. In addition, EOAH at a dose of 1.0 g significantly reduced the expected increases in the expression of CRF positive neurons in the paraventricular nucleus and the expression of TH positive neurons in the locus coeruleus, and the expected decreases of the 5-HT positive neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results provide strong evidence that EOAH effectively inhibits depression-like behavioral responses, brain CRF and TH expression increases, and brain 5-HT expression decreases in mice challenged with stress.
authors.affiliation: Bringham Young University, Provo, Utah, 84602, USA. lauren@khu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Hyun-Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Hanny University, Daegu, 706-828, South Korea. ejlim@dhu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Eun-Ju
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, China. zhao_rongjie@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Rong Jie
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Hanny University, Daegu, 706-828, South Korea. sroh@dhu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Sa Rang
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Hanny University, Daegu, 706-828, South Korea. jwjung@dhu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Ji Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Hanny University, Daegu, 706-828, South Korea. AhnEM@dhu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Eun-Mi
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Hanny University, Daegu, 706-828, South Korea. eslee@dhu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Eun Sook
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Andong National University, Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, 760-749, South Korea. kimkoo1114@andong.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jin Suk
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.affiliation: College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Hanny University, Daegu, 706-828, South Korea. hykim@dhu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Hee Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Hanny University, Daegu, 706-828, South Korea. scchang@dhu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Suchan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 130-701, South Korea. alfm38@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Hyun Soo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.affiliation: College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Hanny University, Daegu, 706-828, South Korea. kwangj@dhu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Kwang Joong
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Hanny University, Daegu, 706-828, South Korea. ysgwak@dhu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Young Seob
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Gwak
authors.affiliation: College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Hanny University, Daegu, 706-828, South Korea. chyang@dhu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Chae Ha
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy; D019341:Aromatherapy; D030023:Asarum / Q000737:chemistry*; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D019417:Hindlimb Suspension; D008297:Male; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A / Q000378:metabolism; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D013550:Swimming; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A; D012701:Serotonin; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase