Search

Objective: Depression imposes a huge health problem in the world. Recent studies report that berberine has neuroprotective effects. This study was investigated to evaluate the effects of berberine on depression and the potential underlying mechanisms. Methods: This experimental study included 48 mice, 8 CD1 mice and 40 C57 mice. Experiments were performed in the Laboratory Animal Center of China Three Gorges University, between May 2016 and February 2017. Chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) was used to build the depressive-like behaviors model. Three behavior tests, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot were used to assay the changes in vivo. Results: We found that, in mice model induced by CSDS, berberine treatment increased mobility times in forced swim test and tail suspension test and reduced corticosterone level in serum. Furthermore, berberine increased traveled distance, frequencies in enter the central square, and duration time on the center square in the open field test as well. Further experiments showed that berberine treatment upregulated neuronal PAS domain protein 4 (NPAS4) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein/mRNA expressions in hippocampus tissue of CSDS mice. Conclusion: The present results suggested that berberine possessed properties in antidepressive-like behaviors, which might be partly attributed to upregulation of NPAS4 and BDNF expressions in hippocampus. Abbreviations used: CSDS: Chronic social defeat stress; BDNF: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; NPAS4: Neuronal PAS domain protein 4; FST: Force swim test; TST: Tail suspension test; OFT: Open field test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies have reported that depression is associated with increased level of oxidative stress and accompanied with decreased Kelch-like erythroid cell-derived protein with CNC homology-associated protein 1-nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Keap1-Nrf2) signaling pathway. Berberine has been shown to possess properties on protection against neurodegenerative diseases, but its effects on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) induced depressive such as behaviors and Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway are unknown. Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of berberine on CUMS induced depression animal model and investigate the underlying mechanisms. Materials and Methods: We established CUMS depressant rats model and treated CUMS rats with berberine. Sucrose preference test, forced swim test , and tail suspension test were used to measure behavioral changes. We used quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot to test the levels of cytokines in the hippocampus. Results: We found that CUMS rats displayed obvious depressive-like behaviors. Moreover, berberine treatment prevented depressive behaviors in CUMS rats accompanied with suppression of oxidative stress markers. Further experiments showed that berberine treatment up-regulated the expression of Keap1-Nrf2 antioxidant signaling pathway and its downstream neuroprotective factors. Conclusion: The present results suggested that treatment of berberine significantly ameliorated depressive-like behaviors in CUMS rats and enhanced Keap1-Nrf2 antioxidant signaling pathways in hippocampus. Abbreviations used: MDD: Major depressive disorder; CUMS: Chronic unpredictable mild stress; FST: Forced swim test; TST: Tail suspension test; Keap1: Kelch-like erythroid cell-derived protein with CNC homology-associated protein 1; Nrf2: nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2; ARE: Antioxidant response elements; SOD: Superoxide Dismutase; MDA: Malonic dialdehyde; IMI: Imipramine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]