Antidepressant effect of total flavonoids extracted from Xiaobuxin-Tang in forced swimming tests and learned helplessness in rats and mice
10.3867/j.issn.1000-3002.2008.01.001
- VernacularTitle:小补心汤总黄酮对强迫游泳和获得性无助模型动物的抗抑郁作用
- Author:
Youzhi ZHANG
;
Nengjiang YU
;
Li YUAN
;
Lei AN
;
Yimin ZHAO
;
Wenbin XIAO
;
Zhipu LUO
;
Yunfeng LI
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Xiaobuxin-Tang;
antidepressive agents;
flavonoids;
behavior,animal
- From:
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology
2008;22(1):1-8
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
AIM Xiaobuxin-Tang (XBXT) is a traditional Chinese herbal decoction which is composed of Haematitum, Flos Inulae, Folium Phyllostachydis Henonis and Semen Sojae Preparatum. The present study was to investigate if the total flavonoids extracted from XBXT (XBXT-2) had antidepressant effect. METHODS Forced swimming tests in mice and rats, and learned helplessness (LH) model of rats were adopted to affirm the antidepressant effect of XBXT-2 with the test on spontaneous motor activity. Plasma corticosterone level in the LH rats was measured with ELISA. RESULTS Single administraton of XBXT-2 at the doses of 50 and 100 mg·kg-1 (ig) significantly decreased the duration of immobility time in the forced swimming tests in mice and rats. Researches on LH model of rats indicated that XBXT-2 at doses of 50 and 25 mg·kg-1 markedly reduced the number of escape failure in shuttle box. Meanwhile, the plasma corticosterone level of the LH rats was significantly decreased. XBXT-2 50-200 mg·kg-1 had no effects on spontaneous motor activity in mice. CONCLUSION XBXT-2 possesses significant antidepressant-like effect. The mechanism may involve the inhibition of the hyperaction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
