The antidepressant-like effect of Hedyosmum brasiliense and its sesquiterpene lactone, podoandin in mice: Evidence for the involvement of adrenergic, dopaminergic and serotonergic systems

Abstract

We have recently shown that the ethanol extract of the leaves of Hedyosmum brasiliense exhibits an antidepressant-like effect in the tail suspension and forced swimming tests in mice. The present study investigates the mechanisms involved in the antidepressant-like effect of H. brasiliense extract, together with the antidepressant potential of podoandin, an isolated sesquiterpenoid. H. brasiliense (50mg/kg, i.p.) and podoandin (10mg/kg, i.p.) decreased the immobility time in the forced swimming test, without any accompanying changes in ambulation in the open-field test. The anti-immobility effect of the H. brasiliense extract was prevented by pre-treating the mice with ondansetron, NAN 190, pindolol, prazosin, yohimbine, haloperidol, SCH23390, and sulpiride. On the other hand, pre-treating the mice with: p-chlorophenylalanine (4 consecutive days), ketanserin, naloxone, naltrindole, bicuculline, phaclofen, or l-arginine did not block the antidepressant-like effect of H. brasiliense. In addition, pre-treatment of the animals with methylene blue, NG-nitro-l-arginine or 7-nitroindazole, at subeffective doses, did not cause a synergistic effect with H. brasiliense extract at an effective dose in the forced swimming test. The anti-immobility effect of podoandin was also prevented by pre-treating the mice with NAN-190, ondansetron, prazosin, yohimbine, sulpiride and haloperidol. The results indicate that the antidepressant-like effect of H. brasiliense (and podoandin) is dependent on the serotonergic, noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems, but not on the GABAergic, opioid and oxidonitrergic systems.

Biphasic Effects of α-Asarone on Immobility in the Tail Suspension Test: Evidence for the Involvement of the Noradrenergic and Serotonergic Systems in Its Antidepressant-Like Activity

“…It has also been reported that AMPT pretreated mice demolished the antidepressant activity of bupropion (a non-selective noradrenaline and dopamine reuptake inhibitor) in the TST ( Kwon et al, 2010 ). Moreover, several studies elucidated the involvement of α 1 , and α 2 - adrenoceptors in the antidepressant-like effect of drugs in animal behavioral models of depression ( Machado et al, 2009 ; Capra et al, 2010 ; Goncalves et al, 2012 ; Zeni et al, 2013 ). Evidence suggested that the brain α 1 -adrenoceptors were desensitized in the depressed patients and that the activation of α 1 - adrenoceptors restored the normal mood ( Stone et al, 2003 ).…”

Comprehensive Review in Current Developments of Imidazole-Based Medicinal Chemistry

“…Recently, the research on imidazoles as antineuropathic agents is quite active. A lot of imidazoles have been demonstrated to possess good biological activities toward some neuropathic‐relative diseases such as epilepsy, AD, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, dementia, anxiety, and depression . The structures of imidazole‐based antineuropathic compounds are shown in Figure .…”

Chemical Composition, Antifungal and Antioxidant Activities of Hedyosmum brasiliense Mart. ex Miq. (Chloranthaceae) Essential Oils

“…Its leaves have been used in folk medicine to treat migraine, ovarium dysfunction, foot fungi, rheumatism, stomach pain, and as a diuretic [ 1 , 2 ]. Chemical and pharmacological studies with the aerial parts of H. brasiliense indicated analgesic, anxiolytic, antidepressive, and aphrodisiac effects for the crude extracts and for some isolated sesquiterpene lactones [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. There are also some reports on the antimicrobial activity for the ethanol extract [ 17 ] and the essential oils [ 18 , 19 ], however none of them could attribute the observed bioactivity to a specific compound.…”