We report for the first time that pterostilbene, a natural analog of resveratrol, shows anxiolytic-like action by downregulating phosphorylated levels of ERKs in the hippocampus of mice. Mice administered pterostilbene (1-10 mg/kg BW) by oral gavage were subjected to the Elevated-plus maze (EPM) test. Pterostilbene manifested anxiolytic activity at 1 and 2 mg/kg doses, demonstrated by an increase in percent permanence time and number of entries in open arms, critical determinants correlated with anxiety. This anxiolytic activity of pterostilbene was comparable to that of diazepam at 1 and 2 mg/kg in the EPM. The percent traveled distance and the percent permanence time in the enclosed arms were decreased with the 1 and 2 mg/kg doses. The 5 and 10 mg/kg doses did not show any anxiolytic effect. Locomotor activity was unaffected in all doses. Western blot analysis corroborated the observed behaviors in the EPM, revealing a decrease in both ERK1 and ERK2 phosphorylation in hippocampal homogenates from mice treated with 1 and 2 mg/kg doses; the 5 and 10 mg/kg doses showed no significant effect on the phosphorylation of ERKs. Pterostilbene was detected in serum and brain tissue following a single oral administration, demonstrating that the compound can cross the blood-brain barrier to reach the brain regions, including hippocampus, and thereby exert its anxiolytic effect. Resveratrol, the parent molecule of pterostilbene, did not have any anxiolytic effect.
我们首次报告,
白藜芦醇的天然类似物白藜苷通过降低小鼠海马区ERKs的
磷酸化
水平表现出类抗焦虑作用。通过口服给予白藜苷(1-10毫克/千克体重),小鼠接受了提高十字迷宫(EPM)测试。白藜苷在1和2毫克/千克剂量下表现出抗焦虑活性,表现为开放臂停留时间百分比和进入开放臂次数增加,这些是与焦虑相关的关键因素。白藜苷的这种抗焦虑活性与EPM中1和2毫克/千克的
地西泮相当。1和2毫克/千克剂量下的封闭臂行程百分比和停留时间百分比减少。5和10毫克/千克剂量没有显示任何抗焦虑效果。所有剂量下的运动活动均未受影响。西方印迹分析证实了EPM中观察到的行为,显示在1和2毫克/千克剂量下,处理后的小鼠海马均匀物中ERK1和ERK2的
磷酸化
水平降低;5和10毫克/千克剂量对ERKs的
磷酸化没有明显影响。通过单次口服给药检测到白藜苷存在于血清和脑组织中,表明该化合物可以穿过血脑屏障到达包括海马在内的脑区域,并发挥其抗焦虑作用。白藜苷的母分子
白藜芦醇没有任何抗焦虑效果。