The Effects of Osmanthus Fragrans Flower Extract on Maternally Deprived Rats in Early Life

In the past decade, oxygen radicals have been associated with the development of depression. Osmanthus fragrans is a plant that is distributed in areas of China, Japan and Taiwan. Report show that Osmanthus fragrans flower extract (OFFE), which contains a high amount of total flavonoid and polyphenol, has a significant antioxidant effect, and even has a neuroprotective function. The present study investigated the effects of OFFE on maternally deprived rats (MDP) in early life. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), glutathione (GSH) measurements and forced swim test (FST) were conducted to estimate the effects of OFFE on the MDP rats.The data showed that OFFE caused a significant dose-dependent increase in ORAC and GSH in the organs of the MDP rats, including the brain. At lower doses, the specific brain regions of MDP rats, such as the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, thalamus and cerebellum, also saw a significant increase in ORAC and GSH. In addition, the immobile time in the FST of OFFE treated MDP rats fell significantly at all treated doses. Moreover, the results of lower dose treatment experiments showed a correlation between the antioxidant ability of OFFE and its antidepressant effects. The results indicate that OFFE can strengthen the ability to carry out antioxidation in MDP rats, and that the depression-like behavior of such rats can be decreased due to the antioxidant effect of OFFE. [Chien-Ya Hung, Yao-Hung Yang, Yu-Cheng Tsai, Min-Yuan Hung, Chih-Hung Lin. The Effects of Osmanthus Fragrans Flower Extract on Maternally Deprived Rats in Early Life. Life Sci J 2012;9(4):31733178]. (ISSN: 1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 465 Keyword: depression, osmanthus fragrans flower, maternally deprived rats, the hippocampus, the cerebral cortex, oxygen radical absorbance capacity, forced swim test