title: Berberine up-regulates the BDNF expression in hippocampus and attenuates corticosterone-induced depressive-like behavior in mice.
abstract: Depression is increasingly become a global public healthy problem. This study was to investigate whether berberine could attenuate the depressive-like behavior induced by repeated corticosterone injection and explore the possible mechanisms. The present results showed that exogenous corticosterone injection caused depressive-like behaviors in mice, such as decreased sucrose intake in sucrose preference test (SPT) and increased immobility time in forced swimming test (FST). These behavioral alterations were accompanying with the decreased BDNF mRNA and protein levels in hippocampus and the elevated serum corticosterone levels. Treatment with berberine prevented these changes above. Our findings confirmed the antidepressant-like effect of berberine and suggested its mechanisms might be partially mediated by up-regulation of BDNF in hippocampus.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Ji-Duo
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Li-Gang
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Chun-Yue
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Yang-Yi
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Shuang-Li
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan Province, PR China. Electronic address: liyucheng@hactcm.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yu-Cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001599:Berberine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D003863:Depression / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D001599:Berberine; D003345:Corticosterone
keywords: Berberine; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Corticosterone; Depression