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. 2022 Nov 11;12(11):1850.
doi: 10.3390/life12111850.

Atranorin, a Secondary Metabolite of Lichens, Exhibited Anxiolytic/Antidepressant Activity in Wistar Rats

Nicol Urbanska  1 , Patrik Simko  1 , Andrea Leskanicova  1 , Martina Karasova  2 , Zuzana Jendzelovska  1 , Rastislav Jendzelovsky  1 , Dajana Rucova  1 , Mariana Kolesarova  1 , Michal Goga  1 , Martin Backor  1   3 , Terezia Kiskova  1
Affiliations

Atranorin, a Secondary Metabolite of Lichens, Exhibited Anxiolytic/Antidepressant Activity in Wistar Rats

Nicol Urbanska et al. Life (Basel). .

Abstract

Atranorin (ATR) is one of lichens' many known secondary metabolites. Most current studies have investigated the various effects of ATR in vitro and only sporadically in vivo. The latest data indicate that ATR may have anxiolytic/antidepressive effects. This study aimed to analyze the potential of ATR in a depression-like state in male Wistar rats. Pregnant females were stressed by restricting their mobility in the final week of pregnancy three times a day for 45 min each, for three following days. After birth, progeny aged 60 days was stressed repeatedly. The male progeny was divided into three groups as follows: CTR group as a healthy control (n = 10), DEP group as a progeny of restricted mothers (n = 10), and ATR group as a progeny of restricted mothers, treated daily for one month with ATR (n = 10; 10 mg/kg of body weight, p.o.). Our results show that ATR acts as an antioxidant and markedly changes animal behavior. Concomitantly, hippocampal neurogenesis increases in the hilus and subgranular zone, together with the number of NeuN mature neurons in the hilus and CA1 regions. Our results indicate a potential antidepressant/anxiolytic effect of ATR. However, further studies in this area are needed.

Keywords: Wistar rats; anxiety; atranorin; depression; hippocampus; neurogenesis; reactive oxygen species; stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Rearing frequency (A) and the time spent in the open arms (B) in individual groups of control animals (CTR), depressive-like animals (DEP), and atranorin-treated animals (ATR) were evaluated using the elevated plus maze test. Values are presented as arithmetic mean ± SD. Significance is indicated by * p ˂ 0.05 and ** p ˂ 0.01.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The moving speed (A) and trajectory passed in the periphery (B) in individual groups of control animals (CTR), depressive-like animals (DEP), and atranorin-treated animals (ATR) evaluated in the open-field test. Values are presented as arithmetic mean ± SD. Significance is indicated by * p ˂ 0.05.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Brain weights (g) in individual groups of control animals (CTR), depressive-like animals (DEP), and atranorin-treated animals (ATR). Values are presented as arithmetic mean ± SD.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The number of proliferative Ki67-positive cells in the hilus (A) and subgranular zone (B) in individual groups of control animals (CTR), depressive-like animals (DEP), and atranorin-treated animals (ATR). Values are given as arithmetic mean ± SD. Significance is indicated by * p ˂ 0.05.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Number of NeuN-positive cells in the hilus (A), CA1 region (B), and granular cell layer (C) in individual groups of control animals (CTR), depressive-like animals (DEP), and atranorin-treated animals (ATR). Values are presented as arithmetic mean ± SD. Significance is indicated by ** p ˂ 0.01.
Figure 6
Figure 6
ACTH (A) and cortisol (B) levels in the blood of control animals (CTR), depressive-like animals (DEP), and atranorin-treated animals (ATR). Values are presented as arithmetic mean ± SD. Significance is indicated by * p ˂ 0.05, ** p ˂ 0.01, and *** p ˂ 0.001, respectively.
Figure 7
Figure 7
The level of reactive oxygen species in blood leukocytes in individual groups of control animals (CTR), depressive-like animals (DEP), and atranorin-treated animals (ATR). Values are presented as arithmetic mean ± SD. Significance is indicated by ** p ˂ 0.01 and *** p ˂ 0.01.
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