Liang Xin, Xu Na, Cui Shan, Liu Xing Hua, Zhang Hua, Liu Shuang, Yang Ming, Dong Yan
Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China.
Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2008 May;89(3):444-9. doi: 10.1016/j.pbb.2008.01.020. Epub 2008 Feb 5.
In the present study, the potential antidepressant properties of asiaticoside were investigated in male mice in three tests -- splash test in the unpredictable chronic mild stress (CMS) model, tail suspension test (TST), forced swimming test (FST) -- with clomipramine being a positive control. In the splash test, asiaticoside (10 mg/kg, PO) and clomipramine (50 mg/kg, PO) significantly augmented the frequency of grooming behavior in stressed mice. In the tail suspension test, asiaticoside (10, 20 mg/kg, PO) and clomipramine (50 mg/kg, PO) significantly decreased immobility time. In the forced swimming test, asiaticoside (10, 20 mg/kg, PO) and clomipramine (50 mg/kg, PO) significantly decreased immobility time. These results suggest that asiaticoside may have antidepressant-like action.
