title: Improvement of depressive behavior by Sweetme Sweet Pumpkin™ and its active compound, β-carotene.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sweetme Sweet Pumpkin™ (SSP, baked Cucurbita moschata Duch.) has been used to treat patients with depression in Korea. However, the role of SSP in improving depression has not been elucidated yet. Thus, we assessed the antidepressant-like effect of SSP and its active compound, β-carotene, with the forced swimming test (FST).
  
  
  METHODS
  SSP and β-carotene were orally administered once a day for 28days. The levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK), and estrogen receptor-beta (ER-β) were analyzed by Western blotting and quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 28days, treatment with SSP and β-carotene significantly decreased the immobility time during the FST. SSP significantly increased the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain. The levels of BDNF, pERK, and ER-β were significantly increased in the SSP- and β-carotene-administered groups compared with the control group. In addition, the groups treated with SSP and β-carotene showed significantly reduced levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 compared with the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, these findings suggest the potential of SSP and β-carotene as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 26, Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Na-Rae
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 26, Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hee-Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Aided Mechanical Engineering, Sohae College, Gunsan, Jeonbuk, 573-717, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: minho@sohae.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Min-Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 26, Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hmkim@khu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Hyung-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Technology and Inflammatory Disease Research Center, Hoseo University, Asan 336-795, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hjjeong@hoseo.edu.
authors.forename: Hyun-Ja
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jeong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D028464:Cucurbita / Q000737:chemistry*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D055670:Medicine, Korean Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013550:Swimming; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019207:beta Carotene; D012701:Serotonin; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D009638:Norepinephrine
keywords: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Cucurbita moschata Duch.; Depression; Serotonin; Sweetme Sweet Pumpkin™; β-carotene