Fatma Pehlivan Karakas, Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University, Department of Biology, 14280 Bolu, Turkey,
Croat Med J. 2023 Aug 31;64(4):231-242. doi: 10.3325/cmj.2023.64.231.
To assess the protective effects of goji berry (Lycium barbarum L.) polysaccharides (LBP) on depression-like behavior in ovariectomized rats and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these effects.
One hundred female Wistar albino rats (three months old) were randomly assigned either to ovariectomy (n=50) or sham surgery (n=50). After a 14-day recovery period, the groups were divided into five treatment subgroups (10 per group): high-dose LBP (200 mg/kg), low-dose LBP (20 mg/kg), imipramine (IMP, 2.5 mg/kg), 17-beta estradiol (E2, 1 mg/kg), and distilled water. Then, rats underwent a forced swimming test. We also determined the levels of serum antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and malondialdehyde), E2 levels, hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), 5HT2A receptor, and transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells.
Both low-dose LBP and imipramine decreased depression-like behavior by increasing serum superoxide dismutase activity and by decreasing serum malondialdehyde level. Furthermore, low-dose LPB, high-dose LBP, and imipramine increased the number of 5-HT2A receptor- and BDNF-positive cells but decreased the number of TUNEL-positive cells in the hippocampus.
This is the first study to show the antidepressant effect of LBP. Although additional research is needed, LBP may be considered a potential new antidepressant.
评估枸杞多糖（LBP）对去卵巢大鼠抑郁样行为的保护作用，并阐明其作用机制。
100 只三月龄雌性 Wistar 白化大鼠（n=50）随机分为卵巢切除术（OVX）或假手术（SHAM）组。恢复 14 天后，各组再分为 5 个治疗亚组（每组 10 只）：高剂量 LBP（200mg/kg）、低剂量 LBP（20mg/kg）、丙咪嗪（IMP，2.5mg/kg）、17-β雌二醇（E2，1mg/kg）和蒸馏水。然后，大鼠进行强迫游泳试验。我们还测定了血清抗氧化酶（超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化氢酶、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶和丙二醛）、E2 水平、海马脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）、5-HT2A 受体和末端转移酶 dUTP 缺口末端标记（TUNEL）阳性细胞的水平。
低剂量 LBP 和丙咪嗪均通过增加血清超氧化物歧化酶活性和降低血清丙二醛水平来减轻抑郁样行为。此外，低剂量 LBP、高剂量 LBP 和丙咪嗪增加了 5-HT2A 受体和 BDNF 阳性细胞的数量，但减少了海马 TUNEL 阳性细胞的数量。
这是首次研究表明 LBP 具有抗抑郁作用。尽管需要进一步研究，但 LBP 可能被认为是一种有潜力的新型抗抑郁药。
