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Synergistic Effects of Citicoline and Silymarin Nanomicelles in Restraint Stress-Exposed Mice Publisher Pubmed

Summary: Can drugs ease stress effects? Study finds citicoline and silymarin reduce anxiety and inflammation in stressed mice. #MentalHealth #Neuroprotection

Shayan E1 ; Maheri F1 ; Aflaki F2 ; Mousavi SE1 ; Zarrindast MR1 ; Fakhraei N3 ; Rezayat Sorkhabadi SM1 ; Shushtarian SMM2
Authors

Source: Behavioural Brain Research Published:2024


Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of citicoline and silymarin nanomicelles (SMnm) in repeated restraint stress (RRS). Method: Mice were exposed to RRS for four consecutive days, 2 hrs. daily. On day 5 of the study, SMnm (25 and 50 mg/kg, i.p.) and citicoline (25 and 75 mg/kg), and a combination of them (25 mg/kg, i.p.) were initiated. On day 18, anxiety-like behavior, behavioral despair, and exploratory behavior were evaluated. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the hippocampus were dissected measuring brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) through Western Blot and ELISA, respectively. Results: In RR-exposed mice, anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze (EPM) was enhanced by reductions in open arm time (OAT%) P < 0.001, and open arm entry (OAE%) P < 0.001. In the forced swimming test (FST), the immobility increased P < 0.001 while the swimming and climbing reduced P < 0.001. In the open field test (OFT), general motor activity was raised P < 0.05. Further, body weights reduced P < 0.001, and tissue BDNF and pCREB expressions decreased P < 0.001 while TNF-α increased P < 0.001. Conversely, SMnm, citicoline and their combination could reduce anxiety-like behavior P < 0.001. The combination group reduced the depressive-like behaviors P < 0.001. Moreover, body weights were restored P < 0.001. Besides, BDNF and pCREB expressions increased while TNF-α reduced, P < 0.001. Conclusion: The combination synergistically improved emotion-like behaviors, alleviating the inflammation and upregulating the hippocampal BDNF-mediated CREB signaling pathway. © 2024
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Seyedeh Elahe Mousavi (1)
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