Antidepressant-like effect of bis-eugenol in the mice forced swimming test: evidence for the involvement of the monoaminergic system

Abstract

Dehydrodieugenol, known as bis-eugenol, is a eugenol ortho dimer, and both compounds were able to exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities in previous studies. Furthermore, eugenol showed antidepressant-like effect; however, the biological actions of bis-eugenol on experimental models for screening antidepressant activity are still unknown. The present study investigated a possible antidepressant-like activity of bis-eugenol in the forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) in mice and the involvement in the monoaminergic system in this effect. In addition, a neurochemical analysis on brain monoamines of mice acutely treated with bis-eugenol was also conducted. Bis-eugenol decreased the immobility time in the FST and TST without accompanying changes in ambulation in the open field test at 10 mg/kg, i.p.. Nevertheless, it induced ambulation at 25 and 50 mg/kg doses. The anti-immobility effect of bis-eugenol (10 and 50 mg/kg, i.p.) was prevented by pretreatment of mice with p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA, 100 mg/kg, i.p., an inhibitor of serotonin synthesis, for four consecutive days), yohimbine (1 mg/kg, i.p., an α2-adrenoceptor antagonist), SCH23390 (15 μg/kg, s.c., a dopamine D1 receptor antagonist) and sulpiride (50 mg/kg, i.p., a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist). Monoamines analysis using high-performance liquid chromatograph revealed significant increase in the 5-HT, NE and DA levels in brain striatum. The present study indicates that bis-eugenol possesses antidepressant-like activity in FST and TST by altering dopaminergic, serotonergic and noradrenergic systems function.