Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the potential antidepressive-like effect of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP), one of available blood-activating and stasis-eliminating components from traditional Chinese medicines, and its mechanism of the antidepressant-like action. Forced-swimming, tail-suspension, reserpine-induced hypothermia, akinesia and ptosis, 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)-induced head-twitch, and potentiation of noradrenaline (NE) toxicity tests, were per-formed to assess the potential antidepressant-like activity of TMP and to study the mechanism by which TMP exerts the antidepressant-like action. Intragastric (ig) administration of TMP markedly reduced the duration of immobility during forced-swimming tests and tail-supension test in rats and mice. TMP partialy reversed reserpine-induced hypothermia, ptosis and akinesia, and potentiated NE toxicity in mice, and these are similar to those of clomipramine; however, TMP did not potentiate 5-HTP-induced head-twitch response (HTR) in mice, and this is different from that of fluoxetine (FLU). The present data provide evidences that TMP possesses potent antidepressant-like activity, and it might be an adrenergic component of pharmacological activity, and its mechanism of antidepressant-like action is similar to that of clomipramine, and different from that of FLU.
Highlights
Depression is one of most significant major public health problems, and is a serious and common medical condition affecting physical health, mood, and thoughts
When compared with the control group, TMP at the doses of 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg reduced the duration of immobility by 11.5%, 15.5% and 24.0% (P < 0.05)(for rats), and 21.5%, 29.7%, and 39.9%(P < 0.05), respectively
Similar effects were observed for treating the rats and mice with classical antidepressant FLU at the dose of 20 mg/kg which served as a positive control of the experiment
Summary
Depression is one of most significant major public health problems, and is a serious and common medical condition affecting physical health, mood, and thoughts. Antidepressants are commonly prescribed for depression and other affective disorders, the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which these agents exert their therapeutic effects are not well understood. Despite the advances in the treatment of depression with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), there continue to be many unmeet clinical needs with respect to both efficacy and side effects. To address these needs, antidepressants with novel mechanisms and without side effects are in great demand.
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