Paeoniflorin improves menopause depression in ovariectomized rats under chronic unpredictable mild stress

Paeoniflorin has been shown to effectively relieve neurologic impairments and lessen depression. It remains poorly understood whether it can be used to treat menopause depression; therefore, in the present study, animal model of menopause depression were established by resecting the ovaries in combined with long-term chronic unpredictable stress. Animal model of menopause depression was established by ovariectomy. Sprague-Dawley rats were given 10 mg/kg of paeoniflorin by gastrogavage for 2 weeks. Fluoxetine (2.5 mg/kg) served as a positive control. Sucrose solution consumption test, open-field test, real-time PCR and western blot results demonstrated that paeoniflorin increased sucrose solution consumption, voluntary behaviors and 5-HT1AR mRNA and protein expression. Paeoniflorin decreased the levels of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol (CORT) and 5-HT2AR mRNA and protein expression in rats with menopause depression. These results indicate that paeoniflorin unregulated 5-HT1AR expression, but downregulated 5-HT2AR expression in brains of rats with menopause depression, and thus exert antidepressant effects.