• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1088-1096
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether wild ginseng (WG) administration could attenuate anxiety- and depression-like behaviors and expression of corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) following withdrawal from repeated morphine administration in rats. Male rats were administered daily doses of WG (50, 100, or 200 mg/kg, i.p.) for 5 days, 30 min before morphine injection (40 mg/kg, s.c). The anxiety- and depression-like behavioral responses were measured 72 h after the last morphine injection using an elevated plus maze (EPM) and forced swimming test (FST), respectively. Changes in hypothalamic CRF and NPY expressions were also examined by analyzing their immunoreactivities in the hypothalamus. Daily administration of WG significantly reduced anxiety- and depression-like behavior, and elicited the suppression of CRF expression and the stimulation of NPY expression in the hypothalamus. Our results demonstrated that WG extract might be effective at inhibiting the anxiety and depression responses due to morphine withdrawal by possibly modulating the hypothalamus CRF and NPY systems. Furthermore, these findings imply that WG extract can be used for developing new medication to cure or alleviate morphine withdrawal symptoms and to prevent relapses of morphine use.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.45-55
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• 2007

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of Radix Curcumae on the animal model of depression induced immobilization stress. Method : 1) Male rats were used for this experiment. The subject were divided into 4 groups(1. normal 2. saline solution administered during immobilization stress treatment 3. Radix Curcumae of l00mg/kg administered 4. Radix Curcumae of 400mg/kg administered). 2) Immobilization stress was treated for 1 hours on day. During 2 days of immobilization stress treatment, they were executed forced swimming test, passive avoidance test, elevated plus maze test. Corticosterone in blood were measured. Results : 1) In EPM test, stress group showed significantly increased anxiety, Radix Curcumae of 400mg/kg group showed significantly decreased anxiety. 2) In forced swimming test, Radix Curcumae of 400mg/kg group showed significantly decreased immobilization. 3) In passive avoidance test, stress group showed significantly decreased learning execution, Radix Curcumae groups showed significantly increased learning execution. 4) Stress group showed significantly increase in serum level of corticosterone, Radix Curcumae of 400mg/kg group showed significantly decreased serum level of corticosterone. Conclusion : These results suggest that Radix Curcumae is effective in the treatment of depression.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.243-252
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• 2007

Anti-depressant and anti-anxiety effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae extract and its hydrolyzed fraction. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae extract (SCE) and its hydrolyzed fraction (SCE-40) on depression and anxiety-related behaviors in mice. Actions of SCE and SCE-40 on serotonin, norepinephrine and GABAergic systems in the rat cerebral cortex membranes were also examined. SCE and SCE-40 significantly reduced the immobility time in the forced swimming and tail suspension test in mice. Duration time of the open arms in the elevated plus maze test was significantly increased in the SCE and SCE-40-treated groups, compared with the saline-treated control group. SCE and its fraction SCE-40 significantly inhibited serotonin and norepinephrine transporter and GABA receptor binding, compared to the saline-treated group. In addition, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake were significantly suppressed by SCE and SCE-40. These results demonstrate that SCE and SCE-40 produce anti-depressant and anti-anxiety effects through enhancing central serotonin, norepinephrine and GABAergic transmissions. These results suggest that SCE and SCE-40 as functional food might prove to be an effective antidepressant and anti-anxiety agent.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.256-263
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• 2014

Background: Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is known to have antianxiety properties. This study was conducted to investigate the anxiolytic effects of KRG extract (KRGE) during ethanol withdrawal (EW) and the involvement of the mesoamygdaloid dopamine (DA) system in it. Methods: Rats were treated with 3 g/kg/d of ethanol for 28 d, and subjected to 3 d of withdrawal. During EW, KRGE (20 mg/kg/d or 60 mg/kg/d, p.o.) was given to rats once/d for 3 d. Thirty min after the final dose of KRGE, anxiety-like behavior was evaluated in an elevated plus maze (EPM), and plasma corticosterone (CORT) levels were determined by a radioimmunoassay (RIA). In addition, concentrations of DA and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) were also measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results: The EPM test and RIA revealed KRGE inhibited anxiety-like behavior and the over secretion of plasma CORT during EW. Furthermore, the behavioral effect was blocked by a selective DA D2 receptor (D2R) antagonist (eticlopride) but not by a selective DA D1 receptor (D1R) antagonist (SCH23390). HPLC analyses showed KRGE reversed EW-induced decreases of DA and DOPAC in a dose-dependent way. Additionally, Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays showed that KRGE prevented the EW-induced reductions in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) protein expression in the CeA and TH mRNA expression in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Conclusion: These results suggest that KRGE has anxiolytic effects during EW by improving the mesoamygdaloid DA system.