Euterpe oleracea’nın antidepresan ve anksiyolitik etkilerinin ve etki mekanizmalarının sıçanlarda araştırılması

Abstract

Euterpe oleracea (EO), fenolikler, flavonoidler ve antosiyaninler dâhil olmak üzere geniş bir polifenolik bileşik yelpazesi içermekte olup, güçlü antioksidan özellikler göstermektedir. EO’nun beyin dokusunda oksidatif stresi ve nöroenflamasyonu azaltabileceği öne sürülmüştür. Doğal afetler, enfeksiyon salgınları ve toplu travmalar gibi aşırı çevresel stres etkenlerine maruz kalmanın anksiyete, depresyon ve bilişsel bozulmayı tetikleyebileceği göz önüne alındığında, bu çalışma EO’nun olası antidepresan ve anksiyolitik etkilerini araştırmayı amaçlamıştır. Toplam 64 erkek Wistar albino sıçan (300–350 g), rastgele sekiz gruba ayrılmıştır: kontrol, EO (30, 100 ve 300 mg/kg), amitriptilin (20 mg/kg), fluoksetin (20 mg/kg), diazepam (5 mg/kg) ve ketamin (5 mg/kg). Tüm uygulamalar ağızdan yapılmış ve davranış testleri ilaç uygulamasından 1,5 saat sonra gerçekleştirilmiştir. Antidepresan benzeri aktivite zorunlu yüzme testi (FST) ile, anksiyolitik benzeri etkiler ise yükseltilmiş artı labirent testi (EPM) ile değerlendirilmiştir. Spesifik olmayan motor etkilerin dışlanması için lokomotor aktivite ayrıca aktivite ölçer ile analiz edilmiştir. İstatistiksel analizlerde Kruskal–Wallis testi kullanılmış ve p < 0.05 anlamlı kabul edilmiştir. Tüm EO dozları, kontrol grubuna kıyasla FST’de hareketsizlik süresini ve EPM’de kapalı kollarda geçirilen süreyi anlamlı şekilde azaltmıştır. 100 mg/kg EO dozu, amitriptilin, ketamin ve diazepam ile karşılaştırılabilir düzeyde etkiler göstermiştir. Buna karşılık, fluoksetin akut uygulamanın sınırlılıkları nedeniyle anlamlı bir etki göstermemiştir. Bu bulgular, özellikle 100 mg/kg dozunda EO’nun, standart farmakolojik ajanlara benzer antidepresan ve anksiyolitik özelliklere sahip olabileceğini düşündürmektedir.

Keywords

• Euterpe oleracea
• anxiety
• antidepression
• locomotor activity
• rat

The investigation of antidepressant and anxiolytic effects of Euterpe oleracea and its mechanisms of action in rats

Abstract

Euterpe oleracea (EO) contains a wide variety of polyphenolic compounds, including phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, which exhibit strong antioxidant properties. EO has been proposed to alleviate oxidative stress and inflammation in brain cells. Since exposure to extreme environmental stressors-such as natural disasters, infectious disease outbreaks, and mass trauma- can trigger anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline, this study aimed to investigate the potential antidepressant and anxiolytic effects of EO. Sixty-four male Wistar albino rats (300–350 g) were randomly divided into eight groups: control, EO (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg), amitriptyline (20 mg/kg), fluoxetine (20 mg/kg), diazepam (5 mg/kg), and ketamine (5 mg/kg). All treatments were administered orally, and behavioral tests were conducted 1.5 hours after drug administration. Antidepressant-like activity was evaluated using the forced swimming test (FST), while anxiolytic-like effects were assessed through the elevated plus maze (EPM). Locomotor activity was also measured using an activity meter to rule out nonspecific motor effects. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kruskal–Wallis test, and p< 0.05 was considered statistically significant. All EO doses significantly reduced immobility time in the FST and time spent in closed arms in the EPM compared to the control group. The 100 mg/kg EO group showed effects similar and comparable to those of amitriptyline, ketamine, and diazepam. In contrast, fluoxetine showed no significant effects, possibly due to the limitations of acute administration. These findings suggest that EO, particularly at 100 mg/kg, may possess antidepressant and anxiolytic properties similar to standard pharmacological agents.

Keywords

• Euterpe oleracea
• anxiety
• antidepression
• locomotor activity
• rat

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