PMID- 24786848 OWN - NLM STAT- MEDLINE DCOM- 20141215 LR - 20220408 IS - 1420-3049 (Electronic) IS - 1420-3049 (Linking) VI - 19 IP - 5 DP - 2014 Apr 30 TI - beta-asarone reverses chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depression-like behavior and promotes hippocampal neurogenesis in rats. PG - 5634-49 LID - 10.3390/molecules19055634 [doi] AB - In this study, we investigated the influence of beta-asarone, the major ingredient of Acorus tatarinowii Schott, on depressive-like behavior induced by the chronic unpredictable mild stresses (CUMS) paradigm and to clarify the underlying mechanisms. The results show that beta-asarone treatment partially reversed the CUMS-induced depression-like behaviors in both the forced swim and sucrose preference tests. The behavioral effects were associated with increased hippocampal neurogenesis indicated by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) immunoreactivity. beta-Asarone treatment significantly increased the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) at levels of transcription and translation. Moreover, CUMS caused significant reduction in ERK1/2 and CREB phosphorylation, both of which were partially attenuated by beta-asarone administration. It is important to note that beta-asarone treatment had no effect on total levels or phosphorylation state of any of the proteins examined in ERK1/2-CREB pathway in no stress rats, suggesting that beta-asarone acts in a stress-dependent manner to block ERK1/2-CREB signaling. We did not observe a complete reversal of depression-like behaviors to control levels by beta-asarone. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to demonstrate that adult neurogenesis is involved in the antidepressant-like behavioral effects of beta-asarone, suggesting that beta-asarone is a promising candidate for the treatment of depression. FAU - Dong, Haiying AU - Dong H AD - Department of Pathology, Qiqihar Medical University, 333 BuKui Street, JianHua District, Qiqihar 161006, China. FAU - Gao, Zhiying AU - Gao Z AD - Department of Pathology, Qiqihar Medical University, 333 BuKui Street, JianHua District, Qiqihar 161006, China. FAU - Rong, Hua AU - Rong H AD - Department of Pathology, Qiqihar Medical University, 333 BuKui Street, JianHua District, Qiqihar 161006, China. FAU - Jin, Ming AU - Jin M AD - Department of Pathology, Qiqihar Medical University, 333 BuKui Street, JianHua District, Qiqihar 161006, China. FAU - Zhang, Xiaojie AU - Zhang X AD - Department of Pathology, Qiqihar Medical University, 333 BuKui Street, JianHua District, Qiqihar 161006, China. xjzhang3108@126.com. LA - eng PT - Journal Article PT - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't DEP - 20140430 PL - Switzerland TA - Molecules JT - Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) JID - 100964009 RN - 0 (Allylbenzene Derivatives) RN - 0 (Anisoles) RN - 0 (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) RN - 0 (asarone) SB - IM MH - Allylbenzene Derivatives MH - Animals MH - Anisoles/*administration & dosage MH - Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/biosynthesis MH - Depression/*drug therapy/metabolism/pathology MH - Disease Models, Animal MH - Hippocampus/drug effects/growth & development MH - Humans MH - Neurogenesis/*drug effects MH - Rats MH - Swimming PMC - PMC6270931 COIS- The authors declare no conflict of interest. EDAT- 2014/05/03 06:00 MHDA- 2014/12/17 06:00 PMCR- 2014/04/30 CRDT- 2014/05/03 06:00 PHST- 2014/03/08 00:00 [received] PHST- 2014/04/08 00:00 [revised] PHST- 2014/04/17 00:00 [accepted] PHST- 2014/05/03 06:00 [entrez] PHST- 2014/05/03 06:00 [pubmed] PHST- 2014/12/17 06:00 [medline] PHST- 2014/04/30 00:00 [pmc-release] AID - molecules19055634 [pii] AID - molecules-19-05634 [pii] AID - 10.3390/molecules19055634 [doi] PST - epublish SO - Molecules. 2014 Apr 30;19(5):5634-49. doi: 10.3390/molecules19055634.