Effects of 4-Methoxycinnamic acid from Scrophularia buergeriana on post-traumatic stress disorder-like behaviors induced by single prolonged stress in mice

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe mental illness that results from exposure to traumatic events, such as war, natural disasters, traffic accidents and sexual violence. These experiences cause permanent alterations in brain circuitry and lead to several symptoms including intrusive re-experience of the trauma, persistent avoidance behavior, arousal and negative alterations in cognition and mood, which manifest in PTSD patients. Despite the high severity and prevalence of PTSD, current treatments mainly focus on managing symptoms. Cheonwangbosimdan (CWBSD) is an herbal medicinal product approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of Korea for its anxiolytic and memory-enhancing effects. Previously, we found that CWBSD and one of its constituents, Scrophularia buergeriana, significantly improved reduced prepulse inhibition in the acoustic startle test, and we identified 4-methoxycinnamic acid (4-MCA) as the active ingredient responsible for this effect. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of 4- MCA for PTSD symptoms using a PTSD animal model induced by single-prolonged stress (SPS). Treatment with 4-MCA (10 mg/kg, p.o.) reduced anxiety-like behavior as measured by the elevated plus-maze test and the marble burying test, and alleviated depressive-like behavior as measured by the splash test and the tail suspension test. Moreover, 4-MCA treatment (10 mg/kg, p.o.) improved cognitive impairment observed in SPS mice, as demonstrated by the Y-maze test. These findings suggest that 4-MCA may ameliorate PTSD-like behaviours, including anxiety, depression, anhedonia and cognitive dysfunction, and has the potential to be used as a treatment for PTSD.

 

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Artikel online veröffentlicht:
16. November 2023