Articles

  • the Korean Society for Brain and Neural Sciences

Article

Original Research

Exp Neurobiol 2010; 19(1): 30-38

Published online June 30, 2010

https://doi.org/10.5607/en.2010.19.1.30

© The Korean Society for Brain and Neural Sciences

Antidepressant-like Effect of Kaempferol and Quercitirin, Isolated from Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten

Soo-Hyun Park1, Yun-Beom Sim1, Pyung-Lim Han2, Jin-Koo Lee1 and Hong-Won Suh1*

1Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Natural Medicine, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon 200-702, 2Department of Neuroscience and Medical Research Institute, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul 110-783, Korea

Correspondence to: *To whom correspondence should be addressed.
TEL: 82-33-248-2614, FAX: 82-33-248-2612
e-mail: hwsuh@hallym.ac.kr

Abstract

Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten. is widely cultivated in Jeju Island (South Korea) for use in manufacture of health foods. This study described antidepressant effect of two flavonoids (kaempferol and quercitrin) isolated from the Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten. The expression of the hypothalamic POMC mRNA or plasma β-endorphin levels were increased by extract of Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten or its flavoniods administered orally. In addition, antidepressant activity was studied using tail suspension test (TST), forced swimming test (FST) and rota-rod test in chronically restraint immobilization stress group in mice. After restraint stress (2 hrs/day for 14 days), animals were kept in cage for 14 days without any further stress, bet with drugs. Mice were fed with a diet supplemented for 14 days and during the behavioral test period with kaempferol or quercitrin (30 mg/kg/day). POMC mRNA or plasma β-endorphin level was increased by extract of Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten and its flavoniods. In addition, immobility time in TST and FST was significantly reduced by kaempferol or quercitrin. In rota-rod test, the time of permanence was maintained to the semblance of control group in turning at 15 rpm. Our results suggest that two flavonoids (kaempferol and quercitrin) isolated from the Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten. show a potent antidepressant effect.

Keywords: kaempferol, quercitirin, antidepressant, Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten