Methane-rich Saline Ameliorates Depressive-like Behaviors During Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS)

Overview

Journal Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol

Specialty Pharmacology

Date 2024 Jul 15

PMID 39007926

Authors

Mohammad Ghaffari Nasab

Mohammad Ebrahim Rezvani

Seyed Mohammad Sadegh Hosseini

Fatemeh Zare Mehrjerdi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Depression, considered the most prevalent neuropsychiatric disorder, is multifactorial and complex. Oxidative stress and inflammation significantly contribute to its etiology. Conversely, methane, a novel therapeutic gas, has demonstrated efficacy in enhancing tissue resilience against ischemic injuries and inflammation. In this study, we investigated the effect of methane-rich saline (MRS) on depression using the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model. Depressed rats received MRS treatment, and depression-like behaviors and cognitive function were assessed through sucrose preference, open field, forced swimming, and Morris water maze tests. Additionally, we measured serum corticosterone levels, antioxidant enzyme activity, hippocampal malondialdehyde (MDA), and TNFα levels, and investigated histological changes in the hippocampus. Our findings revealed that MRS significantly ameliorated Depressive-like behaviors and cognitive impairment. Furthermore, MRS administration regulated serum corticosterone levels and also MRS reduced hippocampal lipid peroxidation, TNFα, and hippocampus tissue damage. MRS likely exerts its effects by reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory factors and modulating the function of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. These results demonstrate the protective effects of MRS on the hippocampus in CUMS animals.

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