Antidepressant-like and Hypnotic Effects of the Herbal Extract Combination of Stauntonia hexaphylla and Vaccinium bracteatum Fruit in Mice

• Published in: 동의생리병리학회지 Vol. 34; no. 2; pp. 88 - 96
• Main Authors: Oh, Dool-Ri, Kim, Yujin, Jo, Ara, Im, Sojeong, Kim, Cho Een, Jung, Myung-A, Shin, Jawon, Kang, Huwon, Choi, Eun Jin, Kim, Jaeyong, Choi, Chulyung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Serotonin 2A receptor; Chronic restraint stress; Stauntonia hexaphylla; Vaccinium bracteatum; Antidepressants
• ISSN: 1738-7698; 2283-2529

Stauntonia hexaphylla (SH) and Vaccinium bracteatum (VB) are herbal extracts widely used in food and traditional herbal medicine, and have the ability to perform a wide range of biological activities. We aimed to investigate the effects of the SH and VB combination (SHVB) on mice models of chronic restraint stress (CRS) and pentobarbital-induced sleeping behaviors to elucidate its possible mechanisms of action. CRS-exposed mice treated with SHVB showed significantly decreased immobility time, increased swimming and climbing times in the forced swim test (FST), and increased locomotor activity in the open field test (OFT). SHVB decreased serum CORT levels, but enhanced brain monoamine neurotransmitters. SHVB significantly decreased the sleep latency and increased total sleep duration in pentobarbital-induced sleeping behavior in mice. SHVB showed inhibitory effect on 5-HT2A receptor-mediated ERK1/2 phosphorylation. These results suggest that SHVB has antidepressant and hypnotic effects by regulating the 5-HT2A receptor.