An in vivo explorative study to observe the protective effects of Puerariae flos extract on chronic ethanol exposure and withdrawal male mice

Bo Jiang; Wenhui Yang; Zhilong Xiu; Liuwei Zhang; Xinxiu Ren; Lijun Wang; Lei Chen; Tetsuya Asakawa

Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (May 2021)

An in vivo explorative study to observe the protective effects of Puerariae flos extract on chronic ethanol exposure and withdrawal male mice

Bo Jiang,
Wenhui Yang,
Zhilong Xiu,
Liuwei Zhang,
Xinxiu Ren,
Lijun Wang,
Lei Chen,
Tetsuya Asakawa

Affiliations

Bo Jiang: School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China; Corresponding author at: School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalia No.2 Linggong Road, Ganjingzi District, Liaoning, 116024, China.
Wenhui Yang: School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
Zhilong Xiu: School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
Liuwei Zhang: School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
Xinxiu Ren: School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
Lijun Wang: Radiology Department, the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, China
Lei Chen: Radiology Department, the Affiliated Third Hospital of Xiamen, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xiamen, 361100, China
Tetsuya Asakawa: Research Base of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Handayama, Hamamatsu-city, Shizuoka, Japan; Corresponding author at: Department of Neurosurgery, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine Handayama, 1-20-1, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu-city, Shizuoka, 431-3192, Japan.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 137
p. 111306

Abstract

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Protective effects of Puerariae flos extract (PFE) on ethanol (EtOH) exposure have been previously verified. This study attempts to explore the protective effects of PEF on EtOH withdrawal models. Sixty male Kunming mice were involved which were randomly divided into five groups (intact control, EtOH group (35-day EtOH exposure), EtOH withdrawal group (28-day exposure + 7-day withdrawal), EtOH withdrawal group + positive control (Deanxit) group, and EtOH withdrawal group + PFE group). The changes of neuropsychological behaviors; hippocampal BDNF expression and CA1 neuronal density; and plasma corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), ACTH, and CORT levels were observed. It was found that depression-like behaviors reduced by EtOH exposure and increased by withdrawal under the 28-day EtOH exposure and 7-day withdrawal conditions. In addition, anxiety-like behaviors worsened by EtOH exposure and unchanged by withdrawal. Deanxit and PEF ameliorated such behaviors (vs. withdrawal group). Hippocampal BDNF expression was significantly downregulated by EtOH exposure and upregulated by withdrawal. Deanxit and PEF significantly upregulated the BDNF expression. The hippocampal CA1 neuronal density significantly decreased by EtOH exposure but unchanged by withdrawal and treatments. The plasma CRH, ACTH, and CORT levels show a significant enhancement by EtOH exposure and reduced by withdrawal. They were further reduced by Deanxit and PEF. The protective effects of PEF on EtOH chronic withdrawal mouse models were verified. The results of this study also indicated a complicated scenario of neuropsychological behaviors, hippocampal BDNF expression, and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis which are affected by the timing of EtOH exposure and withdrawal.

Published in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy

ISSN: 0753-3322 (Print); 1950-6007 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: France
LCC subjects: Medicine: Therapeutics. Pharmacology
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/biomedicine-and-pharmacotherapy

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