title: Antidepressant-like effects of albiflorin extracted from Radix paeoniae Alba.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Albiflorin, a monoterpene glycoside, is a main component of Radix paeoniae Alba, which could be a Chinese herbal medicine used in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. However, the exact role of albiflorin in depression is poorly understood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current study aimed to evaluate the antidepressant effect of albiflorin in mice and rats, and the possible mechanism was also determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  The antidepressant-like effects of albiflorin was determined by using animal models of depression including forced swim and tail suspension tests in mice and chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) in rats. The acting mechanism was explored by determining the effect of albiflorin on the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus by western blot and the levels of monoamine in the hippocampus by HPLC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed that 7 days treatment with albiflorin significantly decreased immobility time in the forced swimming test (FST) and the tail suspension test (TST) at doses of 3.5, 7.0 and 14.0mg/kg without alter the locomotor activity in mice. Moreover, western blot analysis showed that albiflorin could increase the expression of BDNF in the hippocampus. We further exposed rats to a chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) protocol for a period of 35d to induce depressive-like behaviors. We found that chronic treatment with albiflorin, at doses of 7.0 and 14.0mg (i.g., once daily for 35d), restored the sucrose preference in CUS rats. In the open-field test, albiflorin significantly increased the number of crossings and rearings in the CUS rats at three doses. Moreover, chronic treatment with albiflorin up-regulated the hippocampal BDNF expression levels and the hippocampal 5-HT, 5-HIAA, and NA levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Albiflorin produced significant antidepressant-like effects, which were closely related to the hippocampal 5-HT/NE increase and BDNF expression. Our data indicated that albiflorin could be a potential anti-depressant drug.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350108, China; Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Lu
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Jing-Xia
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Xu
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Clinical Pharmacy Department of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Kun
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Zi-Dan
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Shu-Zheng
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Yuan-Yuan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Chang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: You-Zhi
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China. Electronic address: lyf619@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Yun-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350108, China. Electronic address: changxiyu@mail.fjmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Chang-Xi
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000378:metabolism; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001952:Bridged-Ring Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005518:Food Preferences; D019417:Hindlimb Suspension / Q000523:psychology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D029596:Paeonia / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D013550:Swimming / Q000523:psychology; D006027:Glycosides
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D001952:Bridged-Ring Compounds; D010936:Plant Extracts; C014959:albiflorin; D006027:Glycosides
keywords: 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (PubChem CID: 547); 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid (PubChem CID: 1826); 5-Hydroxytryptamine (PubChem CID: 5202); Adrenalin (PubChem CID: 5816); Albiflorin; Albiflorin (PubChem CID: 51346141); Antidepressant; BDNF; Chronic unpredictable stress; Dopamine (PubChem CID: 681); Fluoxetine hydrochloride (PubChem CID: 62857); Homovanillic acid (PubChem CID: 1738); Monoamines; Norepinephrine (PubChem CID: 439260); Paeoniflorin (PubChem CID: 75124163); Radix paeoniae Alba