Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2019 Jan 14;10(4):327-335.
doi: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2019.01.003. eCollection 2020 Jul.

The antidepressant-like effects of Origanum majorana essential oil on mice through monoaminergic modulation using the forced swimming test

Saeid Abbasi-Maleki  1 , Zohre Kadkhoda  2 , Rahim Taghizad-Farid  2
Affiliations

The antidepressant-like effects of Origanum majorana essential oil on mice through monoaminergic modulation using the forced swimming test

Saeid Abbasi-Maleki et al. J Tradit Complement Med. .

Abstract

Origanum majorana (L.) is an herb used in the treatment of diseases related to the nervous system in traditional medicine (e.g. as an anticonvulsant and sedative). The present study was conducted to investigate the antidepressant-like effects of Origanum majorana essential oil (OMEO) on mice in the forced swimming test (FST). The animals were intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected with OMEO (10-80 mg/kg) 1 h before the FST. To assess the involvement of the monoaminergic system in the antidepressant activity of OMEO, different pharmacological antagonists were administered 15 min before OMEO administration (80 mg/kg). The administration of OMEO (40 and 80 mg/kg, i.p.) decreased immobility time and increased swimming and climbing times significantly. OMEO did not cause any changes in spontaneous locomotor function in the open-field test (OFT). The pre-treatment of the animals with SCH23390, sulpiride, haloperidol, WAY100135, p-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA), ketanserin, prazosin, yohimbine, reserpine, but not propranolol, inhibited the anti-immobility effect of OMEO in the FST. A combination of sub-effective doses of fluoxetine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) or imipramine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) with OMEO (10 mg/kg, i.p.) increased the antidepressant-like effects. OMEO showed antidepressant-like effects through involvement with the dopaminergic (D1 and D2), serotonergic (5HT1A, 5-HT2A receptors) and noradrenergic (α1 and α2 adrenoceptors) systems.

Keywords: 5-HT, 5-hydroxytryptamine; ANOVA, analysis of variance; Antidepressant; DA, dopamine; FST, forced swimming test; Forced swimming test; GC-MS, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis; KI, Kovats index; Ketanserin (PubChem CID: 3822); Mice; Monoamines; NA, noradrenaline; OFT, open-field test; OMEO, Origanum majorana essential oil; Origanum majorana; RT, retention time; Reserpine (PubChem CID: 5770); SCH 23390 (PubChem CID: 5018); Sulpiride (PubChem CID: 5355); WAY 100135 (PubChem CID: 14801905); p-CPA, p-chlorophenylalanine; p-chlorophenylalanine [pCPA] (PubChem CID: 4652).

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Image 1040
Graphical abstract
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
GC-MS chromatogram of Origanum majorana essential oil.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The effects of the i.p. administration of Origanum Majorana essential oil (OMEO), fluoxetine and imipramine on the mean immobility, swimming and climbing times. Values are presented as mean ± S.D. (n = 6) mice/group. ***, +, ++++, and ### show significant differences between the vehicle (control) group at P < 0.001, P < 0.05, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001 in immobility time, swimming time, and climbing time, respectively. Results were analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
The effects of the pre-treatment of the animals with SCH 23390 (0.05 mg/kg, s.c., a dopamine D1 receptor antagonist) on the antidepressant-like effect induced by OMEO in the FST. Values are presented as mean ± S.D. (n = 6) mice/group. *** shows significant differences compared to the vehicle (control) group at P < 0.001. +++ compared to the essential oil group. Results were analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
The effects of the pre-treatment of the animals with sulpiride (50 mg/kg, i.p., dopamine D2 receptor antagonist) on the antidepressant-like effect induced by OMEO in the FST. Values are presented as mean ± S.D. (n = 6) mice/group. *** shows significant differences compared to the vehicle (control) group at P < 0.001. +++ compared to the essential oil group. Results were analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
The effects of the pre-treatment of the mice with haloperidol (0.2 mg/kg, i.p., a dopamine D1 receptor antagonist) on the antidepressant-like effect induced by OMEO in the FST. Values are presented as mean ± S.D. (n = 6) mice/group. *** shows significant differences compared to the vehicle (control) group at P < 0.001. +++ compared to the essential oil group. Results were analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
The effects of the pre-treatment of the animals with WAY 100135 (10 mg/kg, i.p., 5-HT1A receptor antagonist) on the antidepressant-like effect induced by OMEO in the FST. Values are presented as mean ± S.D. (n = 6) mice/group. *** shows significant differences compared to the vehicle (control) group at P < 0.001. +++ compared to the essential oil group. Results were analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
The effects of the pre-treatment of the animals with ketanserin (5 mg/kg, i.p., preferential 5-HT2A receptor antagonist) on the antidepressant-like effect induced by OMEO in the FST. Values are presented as mean ± S.D. (n = 6) mice/group. *** shows significant differences compared to the vehicle (control) group at P < 0.001. +++ compared to the essential oil group. Results were analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
The effects of the pre-treatment of the animals with pCPA (150 mg/kg, i.p., an inhibitor of serotonin synthesis) on the antidepressant-like effect induced by OMEO in the FST. Values are presented as mean ± S.D. (n = 6) mice/group. *** shows significant differences compared to the vehicle (control) group at P < 0.001. +++ compared to the essential oil group. Results were analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
The effects of the pre-treatment of the animals with prazosin (1 mg/kg, i.p., α1-adrenoceptor antagonist) on the antidepressant-like effect induced by OMEO in the FST. Values are presented as mean ± S.D. (n = 6) mice/group.*** shows significant differences compared to the vehicle (control) group at P < 0.001. +++ compared to the essential oil group. Results were analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
The effects of the pre-treatment of the animals with yohimbine (1 mg/kg, i.p., an α2-adrenoceptor antagonist) on the antidepressant-like effect induced by OMEO in the FST. Values are presented as mean ± S.D. (n = 6) mice/group. *** shows significant differences compared to the vehicle (control) group at P < 0.001. +++ compared to the essential oil group. Results were analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.
Fig. 11
Fig. 11
The effects of the pre-treatment of the animals with propranolol (1 mg/kg, i.p., a β-adrenoceptor antagonist) on the antidepressant-like effect induced by OMEO in the FST. Values are presented as mean ± S.D. (n = 6) mice/group. *** shows significant differences compared to the vehicle (control) group at P < 0.001. Results were analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.
Fig. 12
Fig. 12
The effects of the pre-treatment of the animals with reserpine (2 mg/kg, i.p., vesicular monoamine depleter) on the antidepressant-like effect induced by OMEO in the FST. Values are presented as mean ± S.D. (n = 6) mice/group. *** shows significant differences compared to the vehicle (control) group at P < 0.001. +++ compared to the extract group. Results were analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.
Fig. 13
Fig. 13
The effects of the sub-effective doses of fluoxetine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) on the sub-effective dose of OMEO (10 mg/kg, i.p.) in the FST in the mice. ∗∗∗P < 0.001 compared to the vehicle (control) group. +++ compared to the essential oil group. Results were analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.
Fig. 14
Fig. 14
The effects of the sub-effective doses of imipramine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) on the sub-effective dose of OMEO (10 mg/kg, i.p.) in the FST in the mice. ∗∗∗P < 0.001 compared to the vehicle (control) group. +++ compared to the essential oil group. Results were analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.
Fig. 15
Fig. 15
The effects of OMEO in the open field test (crossing) on the mice. Values are presented as mean ± S.D. (n = 6) mice/group. P > 0.05 compared to the vehicle (control) group. Results were analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.
Fig. 16
Fig. 16
The effects of OMEO in the open field test (rearing) on the mice. Values are presented as mean ± S.D. (n = 6) mice/group. P > 0.05compared to the vehicle (control) group. Results were analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Cohn D.W., Kinoshita D., Palermo-Neto J. Antidepressants prevent hierarchy destabilization induced by lipopolysaccharide administration in mice: a neurobiological approach to depression. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2012;1262:67–73. - PubMed
    1. Nutt D.J. Relationship of neurotransmitters to the symptoms of major depressive disorder. J Clin Psychiatr. 2008;69:4–7. 2008. - PubMed
    1. Lambert G., Johansson M., Agren H., Friberg P. Reduced brain norepinephrine and dopamine release in treatment-refractory depressive illness: evidence in support of the catecholamine hypothesis of mood disorders. Arch Gen Psychiatr. 2000;57:787–793. - PubMed
    1. Wang R., Xu Y., Wu H.L. The antidepressant effects of curcumin in the forced swimming test involve 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 receptors. Eur J Pharmacol. 2008;578:43–50. - PubMed
    1. Vagi E., Rapvi E., Hadolin M. Phenolic and triterpenoid antioxidants from Origanum majorana L. herb and extracts obtained with different solvents. J Agric Food Chem. 2005;53:17–21. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources