Sains Malaysiana 53(11)(2024): 3735-3746

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2024-5311-16

 

Effect of Pueraria mirifica Subchronic Treatments on Ameliorating Depression by Increasing Tryptophan Hydroxylase Immunoreactive Neurons via Estrogen Receptors in Ovariectomized Mice

(Kesan Rawatan Subkronik Pueraria mirifica dalam Memperbaiki Kemurungan dengan Meningkatkan Neuron Imunoreaktif Triptofan Hidroksilase melalui Reseptor Estrogen dalam Tikus Terovariektomi)

 

NATTAWUT TADSAICHOL¹, WANDEE UDOMUKSORN², EKKASIT KUMARNSIT², URAPORN VONGVATCHARANON² & SURAPONG VONGVATCHARANON^3,*

 

¹Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Princess of Naradhiwas University, Narathiwat, 96000, Thailand
²Division of Health and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, 90112, Thailand
³Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (Anesthesiology section), Faculty of Dentistry, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, 90112, Thailand

 

Received: 3 February 2024/Accepted: 18 September 2024

 

Abstract

Estrogen depletion leads to menopause-associated depression. Pueraria mirifica (PM) contains phytoestrogen that has been used for rejuvenating in aged women. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of PM on depression-like behavior, density of tryptophan hydroxylase immunoreactive (TPH-ir) neurons and intensity of estrogen receptor a (ERa) and b (ERb) in dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) in ovariectomized (OVX) mice. Adult female IRC mice were divided into 7 groups: (1) Sham-operates (SHAM), (2) OVX and distilled water treated (PM0), (3) OVX and 40 mg/kg estradiol benzoate treated (E40), OVX and ethanolic extract of PM treated for 90 days at various doses (4) 25 mg/kg (PM25), (5) 50 mg/kg (PM50), (6) 100 mg/kg (PM100) and (7) OVX and 20 mg/kg fluoxetine treated for 20 days. The duration of immobility in both the FST and TST significantly prolonged in the PM0 group and significantly shortened in the E40, PM50, PM100, and fluoxetine groups (p<0.05). The density of TPH-ir neurons in the DRN was significantly reduced in PM0 and significantly increased in the E40, PM25, PM50, PM100, and fluoxetine (p<0.05). The ERb immunoreactivity (ERb-ir) was much stronger than the ERα immunoreactivity (ERα -ir). However, the intensity of the ERα-ir and ERb-ir was significantly decreased in the PM0 and PM25 groups and significantly increased in the E40, PM50, PM100, and fluoxetine (p<0.05). Therefore, we suggested that subchronic treatments with 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg of PM played an effective role in improvement of depression by stimulating TPH via ERb.

 

Keywords: Depression-like behavior screening test; estrogen receptors; ovariectomy; Pueraria mirifica; tryptophan hydroxylase

 

Abstrak

Kekurangan estrogen membawa kepada kemurungan yang berkaitan dengan menopaus. Pueraria mirifica (PM) mengandungi fitoestrogen yang telah digunakan untuk meremajakan wanita berumur. Oleh itu, penyelidikan ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji kesan PM terhadap tingkah laku seperti kemurungan, ketumpatan neuron triptofan hidroksilase imunoreaktif (TPH-ir) dan keamatan reseptor estrogen a (ERa) dan b (ERb)  dalam nukleus raphe dorsal (DRN) pada tikus terovariektomi (OVX). Tikus IRC betina dewasa dibahagikan kepada 7 kumpulan: (1) dioperasikan Sham (SHAM), (2) OVX dan air suling terawat (PM0), (3) OVX dan 40 mg/kg estradiol benzoat terawat (E40), OVX dan ekstrak etanol PM terawat selama 90 hari pada pelbagai dos (4) 25 mg/kg (PM25), (5) 50 mg/kg (PM50), (6) 100 mg/kg (PM100), dan (7) OVX dan 20 mg/kg fluoxetin terawat selama 20 hari. Tempoh imobiliti dalam kedua-dua FST dan TST berpanjangan dengan ketara dalam kumpulan PM0 dan dipendekkan dengan ketara dalam kumpulan E40, PM50, PM100 dan fluoxetin (p<0.05). Ketumpatan neuron TPH-ir dalam DRN berkurang dengan ketara dalam PM0 dan meningkat dengan ketara dalam E40, PM25, PM50, PM100 dan fluoxetin (p<0.05). Imunoreaktiviti ERb (ERα -ir) adalah lebih kuat daripada imunoreaktiviti ERα (ERα -ir). Walau bagaimanapun, keamatan ERα-ir dan ERb-ir telah menurun dengan ketara dalam kumpulan PM0 dan PM25 dan meningkat dengan ketara dalam E40, PM50, PM100 dan fluoxetin (p<0.05). Oleh itu, kami mencadangkan bahawa rawatan subkronik dengan 50 mg/kg dan 100 mg/kg PM memainkan peranan yang berkesan dalam penambahbaikan kemurungan dengan merangsang TPH melalui ERb.

 

Kata kunci: Ovariektomi; Pueraria mirifica; reseptor estrogen; triptofan hidroksilase; ujian saringan tingkah laku seperti kemurungan

 

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*Corresponding author; email: surapong.v@psu.ac.th