Abstract
Icariin is a prenylated flavonol glycoside isolated from Epimedium herb, and has been shown to be its main bioactive component. Recently, the antidepressant-like mechanism of icariin has been increasingly evaluated and demonstrated. However, there are few studies that have focused on the involvement of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/serine-threonine protein kinase (AKT) signaling in mediating the perimenopausal depression effects of icariin. Perimenopausal depression is a chronic recurrent disease that leads to an increased risk of suicide, and poses a significant risk to public health. The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of icariin on the expression of the PI3K–AKT pathway related to proteins in a rat model of perimenopausal depression. Eighty percent of the left ovary and the entire right ovary were removed from the model rats. A perimenopausal depression model was created through 18 days of chronic unpredictable stimulation, followed by the gavage administration of target drugs for 30 consecutive days. We found that icariin administered at various doses significantly improved the apparent symptoms in the model rats, increased the organ indices of the uterus, spleen, and thymus, and improved the pathological changes in the ovaries. Moreover, icariin administration elevated the serum levels of female hormone estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), and interleukin (IL)-2, decreased those of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteotropic hormone (LH), promoted the expression levels of estrogen receptor (ER) and ERα in the hypothalamus, and increased those of serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA), and noradrenaline (NA) in the brain homogenate. Furthermore, icariin elevated the expression levels of AKT, phosphorylation-akt (p-AKT), PI3K (110 kDa), PI3K (85 kDa), and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) in the ovaries, and inhibited those of Bax. These results show that icariin administration rebalanced the disordered sex hormones in perimenopausal depression rats, regulated the secretion of neurotransmitters in the brain, boosted immune function, and improved the perimenopausal syndrome. The mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of the expression of PI3K–AKT pathway-related proteins.
Highlights
Perimenopausal depression is a mental disorder that first occurs in women during the perimenopausal period and is mainly characterized by sleep disorders, sexual concerns, tiredness, Molecules 2019, 24, 3700; doi:10.3390/molecules24203700 www.mdpi.com/journal/moleculesMolecules 2019, 24, 3700 weight changes, anxiety, nervousness, loss of interest, and deterioration in memory and concentration, especially of the ovarian function [1,2]
Calculation of the based on the results shows that compared with the Sham group (SG), the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) in the ovaries of model average optical based on the results shows that compared with the SG, the expression of Bcl-2 in the rats was inhibited significantly (p < 0.01), while the expression of Bax was increased significantly
A large number of studies [26,27,28,29,30,31] demonstrated the efficacy of estrogen in who were previously responsive to hormone therapy, the recurrence of depressive symptoms during perimenopausal and perimenopausal depression
Summary
Perimenopausal depression is a mental disorder that first occurs in women during the perimenopausal period and is mainly characterized by sleep disorders, sexual concerns, tiredness, Molecules 2019, 24, 3700; doi:10.3390/molecules24203700 www.mdpi.com/journal/moleculesMolecules 2019, 24, 3700 weight changes, anxiety, nervousness, loss of interest, and deterioration in memory and concentration, especially of the ovarian function [1,2]. Psychosocial factors, including major life events, children who leave home, and negative attitudes against aging have been reported as risk factors for perimenopausal depression [3,4,5]. Between ages 42 and 55, most women experience the menopause transition; the perimenopause is considered as a critical period for the development of depression [6]. Perimenopausal depression is caused by serum levels of estradiol fluctuating during the menopausal transition and psychosocial factors [8]. A study has shown that perimenopausal estradiol fluctuation increases sensitivity to psychosocial stress and vulnerability to depressed mood [9,10]. Women who have more symptoms of depression in their early 40 s may be at heightened risk for problems with the menopausal transition
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