Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 330-714, Korea.
Korean J Physiol Pharmacol. 2013 Oct;17(5):441-6. doi: 10.4196/kjpp.2013.17.5.441. Epub 2013 Oct 17.
In the present study, the anti-depressant like effect of methyl gallate (MG) isolated from the stem bark of Acer barbinerve was examined in ICR mice. Body weight (BDW) and blood glucose (BDG) levels significantly decreased in the repeated restraint stress (RRS) group (2 h/day for 14 days) compared to the no stress (NS) group. To examine the effect of MG on RS-induced BDW loss and hypoglycemia, MG (10 mg/kg) and the anti-depressant fluoxetine (10 mg/kg) were administered daily for 14 days. Orally administered MG and fluoxetine significantly attenuated the RS-induced BDW loss and hypoglycemia. Interestingly, MG administered mice showed increased BDG levels in the normal and glucose feeding condition. Chronic RS-subjected mice showed immobilized and depressed behaviors. The effect of MG on the depressed behaviors was evaluated using the tail-suspension test (TST) and the forced swimming test (FST). In both tests, RS-induced immobilized behaviors were significantly reversed in MG and fluoxetine administered groups. Taken together, MG significantly attenuated the RS-induced BDW loss, hypoglycemia, and depressed behaviors. Considering that decreased BDG levels (hypoglycemia) can cause depression, MG may exert its anti-depressant like effect by preventing hypoglycemia. Our results suggest that MG isolated from A. barbinerve can exert anti-depressant like effect, and could be used as a new and natural anti-depressant therapy.
在本研究中，研究人员考察了从 Acer barbinerve 茎皮中分离得到的没食子酸甲酯（MG）的抗抑郁作用。与无应激（NS）组相比，重复束缚应激（RRS）组（每天 2 小时，持续 14 天）的体重（BDW）和血糖（BDG）水平显著降低。为了研究 MG 对 RS 诱导的 BDW 丢失和低血糖的影响，每天给予 MG（10 mg/kg）和抗抑郁药氟西汀（10 mg/kg）14 天。口服给予 MG 和氟西汀可显著减轻 RS 诱导的 BDW 丢失和低血糖。有趣的是，给予 MG 的小鼠在正常和葡萄糖喂养条件下显示出血糖水平升高。慢性 RS 处理的小鼠表现出不动和抑郁样行为。使用悬尾试验（TST）和强迫游泳试验（FST）评估 MG 对抑郁样行为的影响。在这两项测试中，MG 和氟西汀给药组均显著逆转了 RS 诱导的不动行为。总之，MG 显著减轻了 RS 诱导的 BDW 丢失、低血糖和抑郁样行为。考虑到血糖水平降低（低血糖）可导致抑郁，MG 可能通过预防低血糖发挥其抗抑郁样作用。我们的结果表明，从 Acer barbinerve 中分离得到的 MG 可以发挥抗抑郁样作用，可作为一种新的天然抗抑郁治疗方法。
