Estudo dos fatores neuroquímicos associados ao efeito tipo-antidepressivo do Flavonoide crisina em camundongos

Abstract

Depression is a highly incapacitating disease that has affected a crescent percentage of the world population. Although various antidepressants have been commercially available for decades, the side effects of these drugs, together with the fact that not all patients respond satisfactorily to treatment, lead to continuous search for new alternatives for the treatment or supplementary treatment of depression. Thus, the number of studies evaluating compounds candidate to antidepressants expands increasingly. In this context, the antidepressant-like effect of chrysin, a natural flavonoid abundant in passion fruit bush (Passiflora coerulea), in mice subjected to unpredictable chronic stress (UCS) has been previously demonstrated by our group. However, neurochemical factors associated with this effect require further investigations. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the neurochemical factors associated with the antidepressant-like effect of chrysin in two animal models of depression, the model of UCS and the model of olfactory bulbectomy (OB), both in mice. In the UCS model the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the hippocampus (HP) were evaluated, in the OB model the HP was evaluated. The UCS and OB induced a depressive-like behavior, characterized by the decrease in the total time of grooming in the splash test and by increase on immobility time in the tail suspension test or forced swimming test. Still, OB induced changes in open field test, resulting from the hyperactivity characteristically induced by this model. The oral treatment with chrysin (5 or 20 mg/kg for 28 days in the UCS model and for 14 days in OB model), similarly to fluoxetine (10 mg/kg, positive control) resulted in the prevention of these changes, confirming the antidepressant-like action of chrysin in the behavioral parameters evaluated. The UCS led to an increase in plasma levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone and activity of caspases 3 and 9 in the brain structures evaluated, while the OB caused a reduction of hippocampal levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. The UCS and OB resulted in increase of proinflammatory cytokines levels in the brain structures evaluated, such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon- γ, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and increase kynurenine levels. UCS and OB also induced the decrease in 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels and the increase of the activity of indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase enzyme. Treatment with chrysin, similarly to fluoxetine, 13 promoted the attenuation of all these changes caused by UCS or OB. In summary, results of this study come to corroborate the hyphotesis that the flavonoid chrysin is a potential target in the study of new alternatives for the treatment or complement treatment of depression. Additionally, this study indicates the association of pro-inflammatory cytokines, of kynurenine pathway, of 5-HT metabolism, of neurotrophins and of caspases activities in the antidepressant-like action exerted by chrysin in mice exposed to UCS or OB. Finally, this paper exposes the passion bush as an important target for the study of natural products to combat depression, showing the importance of research of functionality and bioactive constitution of this and other plants of the pampa biome.