Honokiol exerts antidepressant effects in rats exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress by regulating brain derived neurotrophic factor level and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activity (animal)

In this 2018 study, Wang et al. examined honokiol (the main component of Magnolia officinalis) and its ability to reduce depressive-like symptoms in rats with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). This investigation comes after honokiol demonstrating a variety of pharmacological activities. The potentially antidepressant effects of honokiol were tested in the rats by an open field test (OFT), sucrose preference test (SPT) and forced swimming test (FST). Additionally, blood samples were taken to monitor the concentrations of hormones, proteins and receptors (hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF] and glucocorticoid receptor α [GRα] levels) to assess possible mechanisms. Finally, the honokiol (given at 2, 4, and 8 mg/kg) was found to reduce behavioral dysfunctions induced by the chronic unpredictable mild stress. The treatment also normalized the hyperactivity of the limbic hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis associated with chronic unpredictable mild stress. These data confirm that honokiol possesses antidepressant-like properties.
[NPID: antidepressant, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF, stress, herbs, Honokiol; Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal HPA.]

Year: 2018

Reference: Wang, C., Gan, D., Wu, J., Liao, M., Liao, X., & Ai, W. (2018). Honokiol Exerts Antidepressant Effects in Rats Exposed to Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress by Regulating Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor Level and Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Activity. Neurochemical research, 43(8), 1519–1528. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-018-2566-z