Antidepressant-like effects of salvianolic acid B in the mouse forced swim and tail suspension tests

Abstract

Aims: Salvianolic acid B (SalB), one of the most abundant and bioactive compounds extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), shows neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities in vivo and in vitro. This research was intended to investigate the antidepressant effect of SalB by forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST).

Main methods: SalB was extracted from S. miltiorrhiza roots and followed by HPLC analysis. Thirty five male C57BL/6 mice were divided into five groups: three SalB groups of different doses, one imipramine group, and one control group. The SalB groups received intraperitoneally (i.p.) 5mg/kg SalB, 10mg/kg SalB, and 20mg/kg SalB respectively. At the same time, the imipramine group received 20mg/kg imipramine, and the control group saline only. The behavioral tests including FST, TST and locomotor activity test were done after administration of drugs for consecutively three times, at 24, 1, and 0.5h before the tests.

Key findings: SalB, from S. miltiorrhiza with purity of 95%, significantly reduced the immobility time in both the FST and TST tests (doses at 5, 10, 20mg/kg, i.p.), without changing locomotion in spontaneous motor activity.

Significance: This data suggests that besides neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities, SalB has promising therapeutic potential in treatment of depressive disorders.