title: Antidepressant-like activity of plumbagin in unstressed and stressed mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plumbagin has been reported to be neuroprotective, so it might possess antidepressant activity. Therefore, the present study was designed to explore the antidepressant potential of plumbagin in unstressed and stressed mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Depression-like behavior was induced in Swiss male albino mice by subjecting them to unpredictable mild stress daily for 21 successive days. Plumbagin (4, 8 and 16mg/kg, po) and imipramine (15mg/kg, po) were administered for 3 successive weeks to separate groups of unstressed and stressed mice. Tail suspension test and sucrose preference test were used to evaluate antidepressant effect of the drugs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Highest dose (16mg/kg) of plumbagin and imipramine significantly decreased immobility period of unstressed and stressed mice in tail suspension test as compared to their respective controls. These drugs significantly restored the reduced sucrose preference (%) in stressed mice. The drugs did not significantly affect locomotor activity of mice. Antidepressant-like activity of plumbagin was found to be comparable to imipramine. Plumbagin and imipramine significantly inhibited brain MAO-A activity, decreased plasma nitrite, brain malondialdehyde and catalase levels; and increased reduced glutathione levels of unstressed and stressed mice. The drugs significantly reversed stress-induced increase in plasma corticosterone levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antidepressant-like activity of plumbagin in unstressed and stressed mice might be through inhibition of brain MAO-A activity and improvement of antioxidant status. Reversal of stress-induced increase in plasma corticosterone levels might also be responsible for antidepressant-like activity of plumbagin in stressed mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar (Haryana), India. Electronic address: din_dhingra@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Dinesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dhingra
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar (Haryana), India.
authors.forename: Sudha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bansal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D019417:Hindlimb Suspension / Q000523:psychology; D007099:Imipramine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D000975:Antioxidants; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D009285:Naphthoquinones; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase; D007099:Imipramine; D003345:Corticosterone; C014758:plumbagin
keywords: Antidepressant; Chronic unpredictable mild stress; Corticosterone; Depression; Plumbagin