Antidepressant-Like Effect of Lipid Extract of Channa striatus in Postpartum Model of Depression in Rats

Abstract

Postpartum depression affects 15% of women. Channa striatus, a freshwater fish, is consumed in local Malay population as a rejuvenating diet during postpartum period. This study evaluated the antidepressant-like effect of lipid extract of C. striatus fillet and its mechanism of action in female Sprague-Dawley rats in postpartum model of depression. The rats were ovariectomized and treated with high dose of progesterone and estradiol benzoate for 23 days to have hormone-simulated pregnancy. The day 24 and afterwards were considered as the postpartum period. During the postpartum period, lipid extract was administered at 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg through intraperitoneal route for 15 days. Fluoxetine (10 mg/kg) was used as the positive control. On postpartum day 15, the animals were tested in forced swimming test (FST) and open field test (OFT) followed by biochemical analysis. Withdrawal of hormone administration during the postpartum period induced depressive-like behavior in FST. Administration of lipid extract reversed that depressive-like behavior at 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg in FST. In OFT, it decreased the exploratory activity. The mechanism of the antidepressant-like effect may be mediated through the decrease in plasma corticosterone, increase in plasma oxytocin, and decrease in nuclear factor-kappa B in prefrontal cortex of rats.

Figure 1

(a) Effect of lipid extract of C. striatus fillets and fluoxetine in female rats subjected to postpartum model of depression in forced swimming test (FST). (b) and (c) Effect of lipid extract of C. striatus fillets and fluoxetine in female rats subjected to postpartum model of depression in open field test (OFT). Data represent mean ± SEM (n = 6). ^#p < 0.05 when compared with Ovx + No HSP + Vehicle group; ^∗p < 0.05, ^∗∗p < 0.01, and ^∗∗∗p < 0.001 when compared with Ovx + HSP + Vehicle group, one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's multiple comparison test.

Figure 2

(a) Effect of lipid extract of C. striatus fillets and fluoxetine on plasma corticosterone level in female rats subjected to postpartum model of depression. (b) Effect of lipid extract of C. striatus fillets and fluoxetine on plasma oxytocin level in female rats subjected to postpartum model of depression. ^#p < 0.05 when compared with sham control and normal control groups; ^∗∗p < 0.01 and ^∗∗∗p < 0.001 when compared with Ovx + HSP + Vehicle group, one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's multiple comparison test.

Figure 3

Effect of lipid extract of C. striatus fillets and fluoxetine on serotonin level in hippocampus (a), serotonin level in prefrontal cortex (b), noradrenaline level in hippocampus (c), noradrenaline level in prefrontal cortex (d), dopamine level in hippocampus (e), and dopamine level in prefrontal cortex (f) in female rats subjected to postpartum model of depression. Data represent mean ± SEM (n = 6). ^∗p < 0.05 and ^∗∗∗p < 0.001 when compared with Ovx + HSP + Vehicle group, one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's multiple comparison test.

Figure 4

Effect of lipid extract of C. striatus fillets and fluoxetine on IL-6 level in hippocampus (a), IL-6 level in prefrontal cortex (b), NF-κB level in hippocampus (c), NF-κB level in prefrontal cortex (d), BDNF level in hippocampus (e), and BDNF level in prefrontal cortex (f) in female rats subjected to postpartum model of depression. Data represent mean ± SEM (n = 6). ^#p < 0.05 and ^###p < 0.001 when compared with Ovx + No HSP + Vehicle group; ^∗p < 0.05, ^∗∗p < 0.01, and ^∗∗∗p < 0.001 when compared with Ovx + HSP + Vehicle group, one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's multiple comparison test.