Abstract
AIM: To investigate the antidepressant mechanism of curcumin, the effects of curcumin on the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) expression in chronically stressed rats were studied. METHODS: Rats were subjected to chronic stresses of different types alternatively for successive 20 d, the behavioral changes and the CRF expressions before or after curcumin treatment (2.5, 5 and 10 mg · kg-1, po, once a day for 21 d) in the hypothalamus, hippocampus and frontal cortex were determined by open field test and the RT-PCR method respectively. RESULTS: Chronic stress induced a decrease of the number of ambulation and rearing, compared with control group. Curcumin increased the number of ambulation and rearing. There were significant increases of CRF mRNA expressions in the hypothalamus, hippocampus and cortex in the chronically stressed group as compared with control group, whereas curcumin significantly reversed these changes. CONCLUSION: Curcumin significantly improves the activity of chronically stressed rats, which may have relationship with reversing the abnormal expression of CRF mRNA in different regions of these rats.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 468-472 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| State | Published - Dec 2006 |
| Externally published | Yes |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Toxicology
- Pharmacology
Keywords
- Behavior, animal
- Chronic stress
- Corticotropin-releasing hormone
- Curcumin