The functional role of brain G protein-coupled receptor 40 (GPR40) remains unclear. We investigated GPR40 signaling in depression-related behavior in mice via the forced swim test. A repeated but not a single intracerebroventricular administration of the GPR40 agonist, GW9508, reduced the duration of immobility behavior. Moreover, the levels of hippocampal non-esterified docosahexaenoic acid an...

Introduction: In this study the antidepressant effect of a new morpholino betalactam composition, 1-(3- morpholinopropyl)-4-(naphthalene-2-yl)-3-phenoxyazetidin-2-one (EB9) administered at three doses, was investigated in an animal model of depression. The CNS stimulant, muscle coordination and toxic effects of this compound were also tested. Methods: Morpholino betalactam at 10, 15 and 20 ...

OBJECTIVE The root and stem barks of Eleutherococcus senticosus have been used to treat emotional and physical fatigue in China, Russia, Korea, and Japan. The effects of E. senticosus on recovery from physical fatigue and the expenditure of energy currently remain unclear. We herein examined the effects of E. senticosus extract on recovery from physical fatigue after the forced swimming test as...

In the present study, we have investigated the effects of silymarine on depression and the possible role of serotonergic system in these effects. The rats were anesthetized intraperitoneally with ketamine hydrochloride and placed in a Stoelting stereotaxic instrument. A stainless steel guide cannula (22-gauge) was implanted in the third ventricular region. The third ventricular region was infus...

Iranian Traditional Medicine (ITM) describes a kind of dementia with similar signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It explains the pathology of dementia with cold intemperament of the brain, which means that the brain is colder than its healthy form. ITM strategy for treatment of dementia is to heat the brain up by medical “hot” herbs. Nepeta menthoides (NM) is one of these “hot” herb...

Background and Objective: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the end choice treatment for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Regarding researches that show NMDA receptor inactivation could yield the same results as anti-depressant drugs, however, the present study examined co-administration of ECT and ketamine (as NMDA antagonist) on depressed rat behaviors.   Materials and Methods...

Iranian Traditional Medicine (ITM) describes a kind of dementia with similar signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It explains the pathology of dementia with cold intemperament of the brain, which means that the brain is colder than its healthy form. ITM strategy for treatment of dementia is to heat the brain up by medical “hot” herbs. Nepeta menthoides (NM) is one of these “hot” herb...

This study was performed to determine the effect of forced swimming on the vascular responsiveness of the rat superior mesenteric artery to phenylephrine, focusing on the involvement of locally produced substances. Repeated but not single sessions of forced swimming exercise reduced the vasoconstrictor potency of phenylephrine in the studied arteries, regardless of the presence of intact endoth...