Li-Ping Guan

Fucosterol, a sterol extracted from Sargassum fusiforme, shows antidepressant and anticonvulsant effects.

We previously showed that extracts of Sargassum fusiforme significantly reduce immobility time in the forced swim test and tail suspension test, suggesting that these extracts possess antidepressant-like effects. Here, fucosterol extracted from S. fusiforme was evaluated for antidepressant and anticonvulsant activities in mice. Fucosterol (10, 20, 30 and 40mg/kg) significantly shortened immobility time in the forced swim test and tail suspension test for30min after treatment but had no effect on locomotor activity in the open field test. Fucosterol significantly increased serotonin, norepinephrine and the metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in mouse brain, suggesting that the effects of fucosterol may be mediated through these neurotransmitters. As assessed using maximal electroshock, fucosterol (20, 40, 100mg/kg) possessed anticonvulsant activity, whereas rotarod toxicity test results indicated that fucosterol did not induce neurotoxicity at the same dose levels in mice. Thus, fucosterol may be a useful antidepressant adjunct candidate for treating depression in patients with epilepsy. A significant increase in hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels was found in the fucosterol 20mg/kg group (P<0.05). Our findings suggested that fucosterol may possess an antidepressant-like effect, which may be mediated by increasing central BDNF levels.

Synthesis and Studies on the Anticonvulsant Activity of 5-alkoxy-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine Derivatives

In this study, a series of new 5-alkoxy-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine derivatives was synthesized and their anticonvulsant activity and neurotoxicity was evaluated with the maximal electroshock and rotarod tests, respectively. The most promising compounds, 3p (5-(4-chlorophenoxy)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine) and 3r (5-(4-bromophenoxy)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine), showed a median effective dose of 13.2 and 15.8 mg/kg and had a protective index value of 4.8 and 6.9, respectively. For exploring the putative mechanism of action, compounds 3n, 3p and 3r were tested in chemically induced models.

Synthesis of 2,4-dihydroxychalcone derivatives as potential antidepressant effect.

In this study, twelve 2,4-dihydroxychalcone derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for antidepressant activities using the forced swimming test (FST). The pharmacological test showed that 6 compounds significantly reduced the immobility times in the FST at a dose of 10 mg/kg, indicative of antidepressant activity. Among the derivatives, compounds designated 3d and 3 h exhibited the best antidepressant activity, with reduced immobility time by 32.05% and 34.33%, respectively. In the 5-hydroxytryptophan-induced head-twitch test and yohimbine-induced mortality test, compounds 3d and 3 h increased head-twitch and increased the mortality rate. The mechanisms of the antidepressant effects of compounds 3d and 3 h may be related with the 5-HTP and NE nervous system.

Practical Synthesis, Antidepressant, and Anticonvulsant Activity of 3-Phenyliminoindolin-2-one Derivatives.

Herein, a series of 3‐phenyliminoindolin‐2‐one derivatives were designed, synthesized, and screened for their antidepressant and anticonvulsant activities. The IR spectra of the compounds afforded NH stretching (3340–3346 cm−1) bands and C=O stretching (1731–1746 cm−1). In the 1H‐NMR spectra of the compounds, N‐H protons of indoline ring were observed at 10.65–10.89 ppm generally as broad bands, and 13C‐NMR spectra of the compounds C=O were seen at 161.72–169.27 ppm. Interestingly, compounds 3o, 3p and 3r significantly shortened immobility time in the The forced swimming test (FST) and The tail suspension test (TST) at 50 mg/kg dose levels. In addition, compound 3r exhibited higher levels of efficacy than the reference standard fluoxetine but had no effect on locomotor activity in the open‐field test. Compound 3r significantly increased serotonin and norepinephrine and the metabolite 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid in mouse brain, suggesting that the effects of compound 3r may be mediated through these neurotransmitters. In the seizure screen, 15 compounds showed some degree against PTZ‐induced seizure at a dose of 100 mg/kg, and the tested compounds did not show any neurotoxicity at a dose of 300 mg/kg in the rotarod test.

Design, Synthesis and Anticonvulsant Activity Evaluation of 7-Substituted –[1,2,4]-Triazolo[4,3-f]Pyrimidine Derivatives

In this study, a novel series of 7-substituted-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-f]pyrimidine derivatives was synthesized as potential anticonvulsant agents. Their anticonvulsant activities were evaluated by the maximal electroshock (MES) test, and their neurotoxicities were evaluated by the rotarod neurotoxicity test. The pharmacological results showed that the compound 3i (7-(4-chlorophenoxy)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-f]pyrimidine) was among the most active agent with median effective dose (ED(50)) value of 34.7 mg/kg, median toxicity dose (TD(50)) of 262.9 mg/kg, and providing a protective index (PI=TD(50)/ED(50)) value of 7.6. The compound 3i also showed oral activity against MES-induced seizures and lower oral neurotoxicity. The compound 3i demonstrated antagonistic activity against seizures induced by PTZ, ISN, 3-MP and thiosemicarbazide.

Synthesis and Anticonvulsant and Antidepressant Activity of Some 2-(6-bromo-2,3-dioxoindolin)-N-substituted Phenylacetamide Derivatives

16 2-(5-bromo-2,3-dioxoindolin-1-yl)-N-substituted phenylacetamide derivatives were synthesized. The chemical structures of the compounds were proved by IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, Mass spectrometric data and microanalyses. The antidepressant activities of the compounds were investigated by Porsolts behavioural despair (the forced swimming test) in mice. 2-(5-bromo-2,3-dioxoi-ndolin-1-yl)-N-(2-fluorophenyl)acetamide(4f), 2-(5-bromo-2,3-dioxoindolin-1-yl)-N-(3-chlorophenyl)acetamide(4j), 2-(5-bromo-2,3-dioxoindolin-1-yl)-N-(4-bromophenyl)acetamide(4m) reduced 54.9-44.6% duration of immobility times at 100 mg · kg-1 dose level. Anticonvulsant activities were determined by substances pentylenetetrazloe(metrazol)(anti-PTZ) test, and neurotoxicities were determined by the rotarod toxicity test in mice. 12 synthesized compounds were found protective against PTZ at 100 mg ∙ kg-1 dose level.

Synthesis and Evaluation of Phenyliminoindolin-Containing Phenylacetamide Derivatives with the Antidepressant and Anticonvulsant Effects

BACKGROUND To discover a novel antidepressant-like effect and anticonvulsant compound, seventeen new 2-oxo-3-phenyliminoindolin-1-Nphenylacetamide compounds were synthesized and screened for the antidepressant activity and anticonvulsant effects. METHOD 2-oxo-3-phenyliminoindolin-1-N-phenylacetamide derivatives were synthesized with indoline-2, 3-dione as the starting material, through a nucleophilic substitution reaction and a nucleophilic addition-elimination reaction. The target derivatives 2a-2q were evaluated the antidepressant-like activity using the FST, TST, and evaluated anticonvulsant effect by MES test. The main monoamine neurotransmitters and their metabolites in mouse brain regions were also simultaneously determined by HPLC-ECD. RESULTS It was observed that 13 compounds showed significant reductions in the immobility time in the FST at a concentration of 50 mg/kg. Compound 2b was found to have the most potent antidepressant activity in the FST and the TST for 30 min after treatment. Compound 2b significantly increased the concentrations of the main neurotransmitters 5-HT, NE and the metabolite (5-HIAA, suggesting that the effects of compound 2b may be mediated through these neurotransmitters. As assessed using maximal electroshock, 13 compounds showed the anticonvulsant effects administered at the concentration levels of 100 or 300 mg/kg. Compound 2b showed anticonvulsant effect. Compound 2b could potentially be used as adjuncts of the antidepressants to treat depression in patients with epilepsy. CONCLUSION In conclusion, compound 2b produced significant antidepressant-like activity and the mechanism of action may be due to increased 5-HT and NE in the mouse. Compound 2b showed more anticonvulsant effect. Compound 2b could potentially be used as adjuncts of the antidepressants to treat depression in patients with epilepsy.

Design, synthesis and potential antidepressant‐like activity of 7‐prenyloxy‐2,3‐dihydroflavanone derivatives

A series of 7‐prenyloxy‐2, 3‐dihydroflavanone derivatives were synthesized and screened for their antidepressant‐like activity. Among them, it was observed that compounds 5j and 5k were found to be the most antidepressant‐like activity. In addition, it was found that compounds 5j and 5k significantly increased the concentrations of the main neurotransmitters 5‐HT and NE in the hippocampus, hypothalamus, and cortex. Compounds 5j and 5k also significantly increased the contents of 5‐HIAA in the hippocampus and cortex, shut down 5‐HT metabolism compared with mice treated with stress vehicle. These results suggested that compounds 5j and 5k displayed potent antidepressant‐like properties that were mediated via neurochemical systems.

Antidepressant-like effects of saringosterol, a sterol from Sargassum fusiforme by performing in vivo behavioral tests

Herein, two classic animal behavior despair tests-the forced swim test and tail suspension test were used to evaluate the antidepressant-like activity of saringosterol from Sargassum fusiforme in mice. Saringosterol was found to significantly shorten immobility time in the forced swim test and tail suspension test at doses of 10, 20, and 30 mg/kg in mice. The measurement of locomotor activity indicated that saringosterol had no central nervous system-stimulating effects. In addition, it was found that the saringosterol significantly increased noradrenaline, serotonin (5-HT), and the metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in the mouse brain, suggesting that the antidepressant-like activity may be mediated through these neurotransmitters.