A red pomegranate fruit extract-based formula ameliorates anxiety/depression-like behaviors <i>via</i> enhancing serotonin (5-HT) synthesis in C57BL/6 male mice

Xiping Zhu; Dongxiao Sun-Waterhouse; Chun Cui

doi:10.1016/j.fshw.2021.02.020

Food Science and Human Wellness 2021, 10(3): 289-296 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fshw.2021.02.020

Research Article |

Open Access | Issue | Published: 16 April 2020

A red pomegranate fruit extract-based formula ameliorates anxiety/depression-like behaviors via enhancing serotonin (5-HT) synthesis in C57BL/6 male mice

Show Author's Information Hide Author's Information Xiping Zhu^{^a^,^b}, Dongxiao Sun-Waterhouse^{^a}, Chun Cui^{^a^,^c}(

)

College of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong, China

College of Biological and Food Engineering, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu 241000, Anhui, China

Guangdong Weiwei Biotechnology Co., LTD., Guangzhou 510640, China

Peer review under responsibility of KeAi Communications Co., Ltd

Keywords:

Anti-inflammatory, Behavioral tests, Red pomegranate fruit extract, 5-HT, Anxiety/depression

Cite this article:

Zhu X, Sun-Waterhouse D, Cui C. A red pomegranate fruit extract-based formula ameliorates anxiety/depression-like behaviors via enhancing serotonin (5-HT) synthesis in C57BL/6 male mice. Food Science and Human Wellness, 2021, 10(3): 289-296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fshw.2021.02.020

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Abstract

This study investigated the anti-anxiety/anti-depression potential of a formula containing red pomegranate fruit extract (RPFE; 40%, m/m), Lactobacillus rhamnosus (JB-1) (34%, m/m), magnesium gluconate (25%, m/m) and vanillin (1%, m/m). The RPFE formula (dose: 2.0, 1.5 or 1.0mg/gday) reversed behavioral dysfunctions and body weight gain induced by chronic restraint stress combined with corticosterone injection in C57BL/6 male mice. The RPFE formula exhibited the abilities to normalize the levels of serum inflammatory cytokines (NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and IFN-γ) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS), as well as relieve the injury of hippocampal neurons. The serotonin (5-HT) levels in hippocampus were increasingly enhanced, which might be mediated by reducing the activity of indoleamine-2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) and increasing the activity of tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH). Thus, the neuroprotective and ameliorating effects on anxiety/depression-like behaviors resulting from the RPFE formula ingestion were possibly related to serotonergic activation, which might be mediated via anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant actions.

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A red pomegranate fruit extract-based formula ameliorates anxiety/depression-like behaviors via enhancing serotonin (5-HT) synthesis in C57BL/6 male mice

Show Author's information Hide Author's Information Xiping Zhu^{^a^,^b}, Dongxiao Sun-Waterhouse^{^a}, Chun Cui^{^a^,^c}(

)

College of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong, China

College of Biological and Food Engineering, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu 241000, Anhui, China

Guangdong Weiwei Biotechnology Co., LTD., Guangzhou 510640, China

Peer review under responsibility of KeAi Communications Co., Ltd

Abstract

Keywords: Anti-inflammatory, Behavioral tests, Red pomegranate fruit extract, 5-HT, Anxiety/depression

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Publication history

Received: 30 April 2020

Revised: 24 June 2020

Accepted: 28 June 2020

Published: 16 April 2020

Issue date: May 2021

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Acknowledgment

The authors are grateful for the financial support from National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31201416) and Science and Technology Research Funds of Guangdong Province (No.2017A010105002).

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This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).