Nelumbinis Semen reverses a decrease in hippocampal 5-HT release induced by chronic mild stress in rats

• Published in: Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology Vol. 57; no. 5; p. 651
• Main Authors: Kang, Moonkyu, Pyun, Kwang-Ho, Jang, Choon-Gon, Kim, Hyuntaek, Bae, Hyunsu, Shim, Insop
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.05.2005
• Subjects: Animals; Antidepressive Agents - pharmacology; Chronic Disease; Disease Models, Animal; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Hippocampus - drug effects; Hippocampus - metabolism; Male; Medicine, East Asian Traditional; Plant Preparations - pharmacology; Plants, Medicinal - chemistry; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Serotonin - metabolism; Stress, Psychological - metabolism
• ISSN: 0022-3573
• DOI: 10.1211/0022357056055

Depression is associated with a dysfunctional serotonin system. Recently, several lines of evidence have suggested that a very important evoking factor in depression may be a serotonin deficit in the hippocampus. This study assessed the antidepression effects of Nelumbinis Semen (NS) through increasing serotonin concentrations under normal conditions and reversing a decrease in serotonin concentrations in rat hippo-campus with depression-like symptoms induced by chronic mild stress (CMS). Using an in-vivo microdialysis technique, the serotonin-enhancing effect of NS on rat hippocampus was investigated and its effects compared with those of two well-known antidepressants, Hypericum perforatum (St John's wort) and fluoxetine (Prozac). Rats were divided into five groups: saline-treated normal, without CMS; saline-treated stress control; NS-, St John's wort- and fluoxetine-treated rats under CMS for 8 weeks or no stress treatment. NS and fluoxetine significantly increased serotonin in normal conditions and reversed a CMS-induced decrease in serotonin release in the hippocampus (P<0.05 compared with normal group or control group under CMS). These results suggest that NS increases the serotonin levels normally decreased in depression, resulting in an enhancement of central serotonergic transmission and possible therapeutic action in depression. It is suggested that NS may present an antidepressant effect through enhancement of serotonin.