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Inulin‐Type Oligosaccharides Extracted from Yacon Produce Antidepressant‐Like Effects in Behavioral Models of Depression
Author(s) -
An Lei,
Yang JiChu,
Yin Hang,
Xue Rui,
Wang Qiong,
Sun Yu Chen,
Zhang YouZhi,
Yang Ming
Publication year - 2016
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.5698
Subject(s) - inulin , behavioural despair test , yacón , antidepressant , animal models of depression , tail suspension test , pharmacology , locomotor activity , medicine , chemistry , food science , endocrinology , hippocampus
Yacon ( Smallanthus sonchifolius ), a traditional food in the Andean diet, is attracting global attention for its medicinal properties, which are mainly because of its high content of non‐digestible oligosaccharides. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the antidepressant‐like effects of inulin‐type oligosaccharides extracted from yacon (YOs) in behavioral models of depression. Behavioral despair models in mice including the tail suspension test (TST) and the forced swimming test (FST) were used to determine the effects of acute YOs administration. The locomotor activity was also explored to eliminate any false‐positive activity. In addition, to further investigate the antidepressant‐like effects of subchronic YOs administration, the learned helplessness (LH) paradigm in rats was performed. The results demonstrated that YOs (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg, p.o.) treatment significantly reduced the immobility time in the mouse TST and FST in a U‐shaped, dose‐dependent manner, and showed no stimulatory effect on the locomotor activity. Furthermore, subchronic YOs (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg, p.o.) treatment significantly reversed the escape deficits in LH rats, including an increased number of escape failures and prolonged escape latency. These findings suggest that the inulin‐type oligosaccharides extracted from yacon may be a prospective natural source for antidepressants. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.