Pycnogenol ameliorates depression-like behavior in repeated corticosterone-induced depression mice model

Biomed Res Int. 2014:2014:942927. doi: 10.1155/2014/942927. Epub 2014 May 13.

Abstract

Oxidative stress is considered to be a mechanism of major depression. Pycnogenol (PYC) is a natural plant extract from the bark of Pinus pinaster Aiton and has potent antioxidant activities. We studied the ameliorative effect of PYC on depression-like behavior in chronic corticosterone- (CORT-) treated mice for 20 days. After the end of the CORT treatment period, PYC (0.2 mg/mL) was orally administered in normal drinking water. Depression-like behavior was investigated by the forced swimming test. Immobility time was significantly longer by CORT exposure. When the CORT-treated mice were supplemented with PYC, immobility time was significantly shortened. Our results indicate that orally administered PYC may serve to reduce CORT-induced stress by radical scavenging activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Corticosterone / adverse effects*
  • Depression / chemically induced
  • Depression / drug therapy*
  • Depressive Disorder / chemically induced
  • Depressive Disorder / drug therapy*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Flavonoids / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Stress, Psychological / drug therapy
  • Swimming / physiology

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Flavonoids
  • Plant Extracts
  • pycnogenols
  • Corticosterone