@article {210, title = {Alleviation of Heat Stress by a Polyherbal Formulation, Phytocee{\texttrademark}: Impact on Zootechnical Parameters, Cloacal Temperature, and Stress Markers}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {10}, year = {2018}, month = {February 2018}, pages = {1-8}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {1}, abstract = {

Background: The range of thermoneutral zone of chickens is narrow, and they become easily susceptible to environmental stress, a common and major concern for poultry causing a production loss. Objective: The present study was designed to comparatively evaluate anti-stress activity of Phytocee{\texttrademark} and Vitamin C in chickens reared under heat stress. Materials and Methods: A total of 600-day-old chicks of Cobb 400 were randomly assigned to 4 groups with 6 replicates comprising 25 birds each (n = 150). G1 served as a normal control (NC) and supplemented with Vitamin C at 100 g/ton of feed. G2 served as a heat stress control (HSC), subjected to heat stress (34{\textdegree}C{\textendash}36{\textdegree}C) without Vitamin C supplementation. G3 and G4 served as positive control and treatment group (TC), subjected to heat stress and supplemented with Vitamin C and Phytocee{\texttrademark} at 100 g/ton of feed, respectively. The impact on zootechnical parameters and cloacal temperature was assessed at regular intervals, and blood was collected at the end of the experiment for evaluation of stress parameters, namely heterophil lymphocyte ratio (H:L ratio) and serum corticosterone. Results: Exposure of chickens to heat stress caused a significant decrease in body weight, worsening of feed conversion ratio, higher mortality, and poor production efficiency. Moreover, serum corticosterone level, H:L ratio, and cloacal temperature were significantly increased in HSC as compared to NC. However, supplementation of Phytocee{\texttrademark} in feed significantly ameliorated the negative impact of heat stress in broiler birds. Conclusion: The supplementation of Phytocee{\texttrademark} demonstrated an anti-stress effect in chickens through restoration of serum corticosterone level, H:L ratio, and thermoregulatory mechanism.

}, keywords = {Anti-stress, Corticosterone, Heat stress, Heterophil lymphocyte ratio, Phytocee{\texttrademark}, Poultry}, doi = {10.4103/pr.pr_138_17}, author = {Ramasamy Selvam and Subramaniyam Suresh and Marimuthu Saravanakumar and C. V. Chandrasekaran and D{\textquoteright}Souza Prashanth} } @article {615, title = {Screening of the Antidepressant-like Effect of the Traditional Chinese Medicinal Formula Si-Ni-San and their Possible Mechanism of Action in Mice}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {5}, year = {2013}, month = {January 2013}, pages = {36-42}, type = {Original Article }, chapter = {36}, abstract = {

Background:\ The traditional Chinese medicine formula Si-Ni-San has well therapeutic applications in improvement of mental diseases including depression. However, the neuropharmacological and neuroendocrine mechanisms of the formula on antidepressant-like action have not been reported.\ Objective:\ Herein, we explored the antidepressant-like effect and its mechanism of Si- Ni-San.\ Materials and Methods:\ Acute effect of Si-Ni-San on the immobility time was assessed in the mouse forced swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST). Moreover, we investigated the neurochemical, neuroendocrine, and neurotrophin systems involved in the antidepressant-like effect of this formula.\ Results:\ Si-Ni-San significantly decreased the immobility time after acute treatment in the mouse TST (1300 mg/kg) but not in the FST compared with the control group. In addition, pretreatment of mice with PCPA or AMPT prevented the anti-immobility effect of Si-Ni-San (1300 mg/kg) in the TST. Moreover, acute Si-Ni-San (1300 mg/kg) decreased serum corticosterone levels, elevated serotonin (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE), and dopamine (DA) levels without affecting brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the whole brain exposed to TST.\ Conclusion:\ The acute antidepressant-like action of Si-Ni-San is mediated by the monoaminergic and neuroendocrine systems although underlying mechanism still remains to be further elucidated, and this formula should be further investigated as an alternative therapeutic approach for the treatment of depression.

}, keywords = {BDNF, Corticosterone, Depression, Monoamine Neurotransmitter, Si-Ni-San}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.105647}, author = {Li-Tao Yi and Jing Li and Bin-Bin Liu and Cheng-Fu Li} } @article {678, title = {Antidepressant-like Effects of Young Green Barley Leaf (Hordeum vulgare L.) in the Mouse Forced Swimming Test}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {4}, year = {2012}, month = {december,2011}, pages = {22-26}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {22-26}, abstract = {

Background: Young green barley leaf is one of the richest sources of antioxidants and has been widely consumed for health management in Japan. In this study, we examined whether oral administration of young green barley leaf has an antidepressant effect on the forced swimming test in mice. Materials and Methods: Mice were individually forced to swim in an open cylindrical container, one hour after oral administration of young green barley leaf (400 or 1000 mg / kg) or imipramine (100 mg / kg). Expression of mRNA for nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and glucocorticoid receptor in the brain was analyzed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: There was a significant antidepressant-like effect in the forced swimming test; both 400 and 1000 mg / kg young green barley leaves, as well as the positive control imipramine (100 mg / kg), reduced the immobility duration compared to the vehicle group. The expression of mRNA for NGF detected in the hippocampus immediately after the last swimming test was higher than that in the non-swimming group (Nil). Oral administration of imipramine suppressed this increase to the level of the Nil group. Young green barley leaf (400 and 1000 mg / kg) also showed a moderate decrease in the expression of mRNA for NGF, in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Oral administration of young green barley leaf is able to produce an antidepressant-like effect in the forced swimming test. Consequently it is possible that the antidepressant-like effects of the young green barley leaf are, at least in part, mediated by an inhibition of the increase in the hippocampus levels of NGF.

}, keywords = {Antidepressant-like effect, Corticosterone, Forced swimming test, Hippocampus, Nerve growth factor, Young green barley leaf}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.91030}, author = {Katsunori Yamaura and Noriyuki Nakayama and Maki Shimada and Yuanyuan Bi and Hideki Fukata and Koichi Ueno} }