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Radix Scutellariae Attenuates CUMS-Induced Depressive-Like Behavior by Promoting Neurogenesis via cAMP/PKA Pathway

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Abstract

Chronic mild unpredictable stress (CUMS) causes neurogenesis damage in the hippocampus and depressive-like behaviors such as cognitive impairment. Radix Scutellariae from the dry root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, with the common name Baikal skullcap. In this study, we demonstrated that Radix Scutellariae (RS 500, 1000 mg/kg) notably improved the behavior of the rat, such as shortened escape latency in morris maze test, reduced immobility time in tail suspension test and in forced swimming test, as well as increased sucrose consumption in sucrose preference test. In addition, RS alleviated the damage CUMS-induced neurogenesis and the reduced levels of BrdU; DCX and NeuN, the neurons hallmark of hippocampus neurogenesis. Moreover, associated proteins in cAMP/PKA pathway were up-regulated after RS treatment. By HPLC analysis, we found that RS decoction contains four main components, including baicalin, baicalein, wogonoside and wogonin, respectively. In conclusion, RS could exert a natural antidepressant with improving depressive-like behavior via regulation of cAMP/PKA neurogenesis pathway.

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Abbreviations

AOD:

Average optical density

BCA:

Bicinchoninic acid

BDNF:

Brain derived neurotrophic factor

BrdU:

5-Bromo-2-deoxyUridine

CUMS:

Chronic unpredictable mild stress

cAMP:

Cyclic Adenosine monophosphate

CREB:

cAMP-response element binding protein

DCX:

Doublecortin

DG:

Dentate gyrus

Flu:

Fluoxetine

FST:

Forced swimming test

MWM:

Morris water maze

NeuN:

Neuron specific nuclear protein

NSCs:

Neural stem cells

OFT:

Open field test

PKA:

Protein kinase A

PVDF:

Polycinylidene difluoride

RS:

Radix Scutellariae

SD:

Spargue-Dawley

SPT:

Sucrose preference test

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Funding

This study was supported by The Natural Science Foundation of China (8157140641).

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Author notes

  1. Ruyi Zhang and Liting Guo contributed equally to this work, and are both the first authors.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, 639, Longmian Road, Nanjing, 211198, China

    Ruyi Zhang, Liting Guo, Zhouye Ji, Xiaoxi Li, Zhanqiang Ma, Qiang Fu & Shiping Ma

  2. Department of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medical Formulae, Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 138, Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210029, China

    Chenyiyu Zhang & Rong Qu

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Zhang, R., Guo, L., Ji, Z. et al. Radix Scutellariae Attenuates CUMS-Induced Depressive-Like Behavior by Promoting Neurogenesis via cAMP/PKA Pathway. Neurochem Res 43, 2111–2120 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-018-2635-3

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