The antidepressant-like effect of Hedyosmum brasiliense and its sesquiterpene lactone, podoandin in mice: Evidence for the involvement of adrenergic, dopaminergic and serotonergic systems

• Published in: European journal of pharmacology 2012-01, Vol.674 (2-3), p.307-314
• Main Authors: Gonçalves, Ana Elisa, Bürger, Cristiani, Amoah, Solomon K.S., Tolardo, Rogério, Biavatti, Maique W., de Souza, Márcia M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 4-Butyrolactone - analogs & derivatives; 4-Butyrolactone - isolation & purification; 4-Butyrolactone - pharmacology; Analgesics, Opioid - metabolism; Animals; Antidepressant effect; Antidepressants; Antidepressive Agents - isolation & purification; Antidepressive Agents - pharmacology; Arginine; Arginine - metabolism; Bicuculline; Cyclic GMP - metabolism; Cycloheptanes - isolation & purification; Cycloheptanes - pharmacology; Dopamine; Dopamine - metabolism; Drug Interactions; Epinephrine - metabolism; Ethanol; Ferns - chemistry; Fluoxetine - pharmacology; Forced swimming test; gamma -Aminobutyric acid; Haloperidol; Hedyosmum brasiliense; Hypnotic; Lactones - isolation & purification; Lactones - pharmacology; Leaves; Locomotion - drug effects; Male; methylene blue; Mice; Naloxone; Naltrindole; Neurotransmitter Agents - metabolism; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Norepinephrine; Norepinephrine - metabolism; Opioids; p-Chlorophenylalanine; pindolol; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Podoandin; prazosin; pretreatment; Serotonin - metabolism; Sesquiterpene lactone; Sesquiterpenes - isolation & purification; Sesquiterpenes - pharmacology; sesquiterpenoids; sulpiride; Swimming; synergism; tail; yohimbine
• ISSN: 0014-2999; 1879-0712
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2011.11.009

We have recently shown that the ethanol extract of the leaves of Hedyosmum brasiliense exhibits an antidepressant-like effect in the tail suspension and forced swimming tests in mice. The present study investigates the mechanisms involved in the antidepressant-like effect of H. brasiliense extract, together with the antidepressant potential of podoandin, an isolated sesquiterpenoid. H. brasiliense (50mg/kg, i.p.) and podoandin (10mg/kg, i.p.) decreased the immobility time in the forced swimming test, without any accompanying changes in ambulation in the open-field test. The anti-immobility effect of the H. brasiliense extract was prevented by pre-treating the mice with ondansetron, NAN 190, pindolol, prazosin, yohimbine, haloperidol, SCH23390, and sulpiride. On the other hand, pre-treating the mice with: p-chlorophenylalanine (4 consecutive days), ketanserin, naloxone, naltrindole, bicuculline, phaclofen, or l-arginine did not block the antidepressant-like effect of H. brasiliense. In addition, pre-treatment of the animals with methylene blue, NG-nitro-l-arginine or 7-nitroindazole, at subeffective doses, did not cause a synergistic effect with H. brasiliense extract at an effective dose in the forced swimming test. The anti-immobility effect of podoandin was also prevented by pre-treating the mice with NAN-190, ondansetron, prazosin, yohimbine, sulpiride and haloperidol. The results indicate that the antidepressant-like effect of H. brasiliense (and podoandin) is dependent on the serotonergic, noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems, but not on the GABAergic, opioid and oxidonitrergic systems.