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. 2024 May 27;25(11):5838.
doi: 10.3390/ijms25115838.

Antidepressant-like Effects of Chinese Quince (Chaenomeles sinensis) Fruit Based on In Vivo and Molecular Docking Studies

Dong Wook Lim  1 , Guijae Yoo  1 , Yun Tai Kim  1 , Changho Lee  1
Affiliations

Antidepressant-like Effects of Chinese Quince (Chaenomeles sinensis) Fruit Based on In Vivo and Molecular Docking Studies

Dong Wook Lim et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

In this study, we examined the potential antidepressant-like effects of Chinese quince fruit extract (Chaenomeles sinensis fruit extract, CSFE) in an in vivo model induced by repeated injection of corticosterone (CORT)-induced depression. HPLC analysis determined that chlorogenic acid (CGA), neo-chlorogenic acid (neo-CGA), and rutin (RT) compounds were major constituents in CSFE. Male ICR mice (5 weeks old) were orally administered various doses (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg) of CSFE and selegiline (10 mg/kg), a monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitor, as a positive control following daily intraperitoneal injections of CORT (40 mg/kg) for 21 days. In our results, mice treated with CSFE exhibited significant improvements in depressive-like behaviors induced by CORT. This was evidenced by reduced immobility times in the tail suspension test and forced swim test, as well as increased step-through latency times in the passive avoidance test. Indeed, mice treated with CSFE also exhibited a significant decrease in anxiety-like behaviors as measured by the elevated plus maze test. Moreover, molecular docking analysis indicated that CGA and neo-CGA from CSFE had stronger binding to the active site of MAO-B. Our results indicate that CSFE has potential antidepressant effects in a mouse model of repeated injections of CORT-induced depression.

Keywords: Chaenomeles sinensis fruit; molecular docking; monoaine oxidase B inhibitor; polyphenol.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Investigation into the impact of CSFE on CORT-induced depressive mice during the OFT. A graphical representation of locomotor activity was recorded during a 5 min observation period in the OFT (A). The total distance traveled in the OFT (B) and the number of line crossings in both the center (C) and periphery (D) of the field were measured. No significant differences were noted among the groups in terms of locomotor activity. The results are presented as mean ± SD (n = 8, per group), and differences among experimental groups were assessed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). ns, non-significant, Con, control; CORT, corticosterone; SEL, selegiline; CSFE, Chaenomeles sinensis fruit extracts.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effect of CSFE on the Rotarod in CORT-induced depressive mice. No significant behavioral alternations were observed among treatment groups on motor coordination in mice. Results are presented as mean ± SD (n = 8, per group). Differences among experimental groups were determined by analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. ns; non-significant, Con, control; CORT, corticosterone; SEL, selegiline; CSFE, Chaenomeles sinensis fruit extracts.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Evaluation of the impact of CSFE on the EPM in CORT-induced depressive mice. A graphical representation of locomotor activity was recorded during a 5 min observation period in the EPM (A). Treatment with CSFE resulted in a notable amelioration of CORT-induced anxiety-like behavior, characterized by a significant increase in the time spent in the open arms (B) and a decrease in time spent in the closed arms (C). Data are presented as mean ± SD (n = 8 per group), and differences among experimental groups were assessed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). ## p < 0.01 versus the Con group; * p < 0.05, and ** p < 0.01, versus the normal group. Con, control; CORT, corticosterone; SEL, selegiline; CSFE, Chaenomeles sinensis fruit extracts.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Impact of CSFE on CORT-induced depressive mice in the PAT. CORT-injected control mice displayed a significantly decreased step-through latency time (s), whereas treatment with CSFE at doses of 300 mg/kg resulted in a significant increase in latency time. Data are presented as mean ± SD (n = 8, per group), and differences among experimental groups were assessed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). ## p < 0.01 versus the normal group; * p < 0.05 versus the normal group. Con, control; CORT, corticosterone; SEL, selegiline; CSFE, Chaenomeles sinensis fruit extracts.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Effect of CSFE on the TST and FST in CORT-induced depressive mice. Mice treated with CSFE at doses of 300 mg/kg exhibited significant decreased immobility (A,C) times (s) and increased activity (B,D) times (s). Results are presented as mean ± SD (n = 8, per group). Differences among experimental groups were determined via analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. ### p < 0.001 versus the normal group; ** p < 0.01, and *** p < 0.001 versus the Con group. Con, control; CORT, corticosterone; SEL, selegiline; CSFE, Chaenomeles sinensis fruit extracts.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Molecular docking analysis of the interaction of the ligands at the active site of MAO-B (PDB code: 2V5Z). Safinamide—MAO-B (A), L-deprenyl—MAO-B (B), Chlorogenic acid—MAO-B (C), Neochlorogenic acid—MAO-B (D), and Rutin—MAO-B (E).
Figure 7
Figure 7
HPLC chromatogram of neochlorogenic acid (neo-CGA), chlorogenic acid (CGA), and rutin (RT) as a standard compound’s mixture (A) and the dried fruit of C. sinensis extract (CSFE) (B). The concentration of neo-GCA, CGA, and RT were 0.52 ± 0.005, 0.38 ± 0.006, and 0.53 ± 0.015 mg/g CSFE, respectively.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Experimental design and behavioral experiment. CORT, corticosterone; DW, distilled water; OFT, open-field test; EPM, elevated plus maze; PAT, passive avoidance test; TST, tail suspension test; FST, forced swim test; SEL, selegiline; CSFE, C. sinensis fruit extract.
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