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Vaccinium myrtillus Ameliorates Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Induced Depression: Possible Involvement of Nitric Oxide Pathway
Author(s) -
Kumar Baldeep,
Arora Vipin,
Kuhad Anurag,
Chopra Kanwaljit
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/ptr.3584
Subject(s) - vaccinium myrtillus , bilberry , nitric oxide , pharmacology , vaccinium , chemistry , antidepressant , medicine , endocrinology , biology , botany , food science , hippocampus
Chronic unpredictable stressors can produce a situation similar to clinical depression and such animal models can be used for the preclinical evaluation of antidepressants. Nitric oxide, a secondary messenger molecule, has been implicated in neurotransmission, synaptic plasticity, learning, aggression and depression. Vaccinium myrtillus (bilberry) extract is a potent inhibitor of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species and cytokine production. The present study investigated the role of nitric oxide in the antidepressant action of Vaccinium myrtillus in unpredictable chronic mild stress‐induced depression in mice. Animals were subjected to different stress paradigms daily for a period of 21 days to induce depressive‐like behavior. Pretreatment with l ‐arginine significantly reversed the protective effect of bilberry (500 mg/kg) on chronic stress‐induced behavioral (immobility period, sucrose preference) and biochemical (lipid peroxidation and nitrite levels; endogenous antioxidant activities) in stressed mice. Furthermore, l ‐NAME (10 mg/kg) pretreatment with a sub‐effective dose of bilberry (250 mg/kg) significantly potentiated the protective effect of bilberry extract. The study revealed that modulation of the nitric oxide pathway might be involved in antidepressant‐like effects of Vaccinium myrtillus in stressed mice. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.