title: Evaluation of the antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects of a hydrophilic extract from the green seaweed Ulva sp. in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The green seaweed Ulva sp. contains a large amount of ulvans, a family of sulphated polysaccharides. The present study was designed to investigate in rats the antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects of a hydrophilic extract of Ulva sp. (MSP) containing about 45% of ulvans.
  
  
  METHODS
  After a 14-day administration of MSP at doses of 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg/day, 48 and 60 male adult Wistar rats were respectively tested in the elevated plus-maze (EPM) and the forced swimming test (FST). In the FST, MSP effects were compared to the reference antidepressant drug imipramine (IMI) (10 mg/kg/day). Acute and sub-chronic toxicities of the extract were also assessed in male and female rats following OECD guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MSP treatment did not modify anxiety-related behaviour in the EPM. In contrast, MSP induced a dose-dependent reduction of immobility behaviour in the FST. At the highest tested dose of 40 mg/kg, MSP displayed a significant antidepressant-like effect similar to IMI. MSP did not modify the exploratory behaviour of rats in the open field test and did not produce any toxic effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MSP may potentially represent a good adjunct or alternative to existing antidepressant therapeutics. Further studies are necessary to confirm the mechanism of action of MSP and its modulation of brain functioning.
authors.affiliation: a ETAP-Lab, 13 rue du Bois de la Champelle , Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy 54500, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Violle
authors.affiliation: a ETAP-Lab, 13 rue du Bois de la Champelle , Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy 54500, France.
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rozan
authors.affiliation: b BIOVET-CONSEIL , 1 rte du Linès, Merlevenez 56700, France.
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6324-7578
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Demais
authors.affiliation: c AMADEITE-OLMIX , Z.A. du Haut du Bois, Bréhan 56580, France.
authors.forename: Pi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nyvall Collen
authors.affiliation: a ETAP-Lab, 13 rue du Bois de la Champelle , Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy 54500, France.
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Bisson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D007099:Imipramine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013550:Swimming; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute; D059550:Toxicity Tests, Subchronic; D044445:Ulva / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D007099:Imipramine
keywords: Acute toxicity; Anxiety; Depression; Elevated plus-maze; Forced swimming test; Rats; Sub-chronic toxicity; Sulphated polysaccharides; Ulva sp.; Ulvans