BACKGROUND Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an extreme mood disorder that occurs after experiencing extreme stress, and patients with this disorder are known to accompany with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and memory impairments. Silibinin (SIL) is a natural polyphenolic flavonoid and is the main active ingredient of silymarin, which is primarily extracted from the milk thistle. Although some studies have assessed the properties of this flavonoid, the potential of SIL as a treatment for PTSD patients and its mechanisms of action have yet to be fully elucidated. METHODS After exposure to a model of single prolonged stress (SPS), the open field test (OFT) and forced swimming test (FST), were used to investigate the effects of SIL on anxiety- and depression-like symptoms in male rats. The rats received of SIL (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) for 14 days following exposure to SPS. RESULTS Administration of SIL significantly improved anxiety-like behaviors in the OFT, depression-like behaviors in the FST, and freezing behavior in fear conditioning test. SIL also increased levels of serotonin in the hippocampus (Hipp) and amygdala, and enhanced expression of tryptophan hydroxylase-1 mRNA in the Hipp. The administration of SIL also inhibited SPS-induced decreases dopamine levels and increases norepinephrine levels in the Hipp. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, the present findings suggest that SIL can be a useful therapeutic ingredient for the treatment of trauma stress-associated symptoms, including PTSD-induced anxiety and depression caused by PTSD.

中文翻译：

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水飞蓟宾可在单个长期应激大鼠模型中预防抑郁症样行为：血清素的可能作用。

背景技术创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）是在经历极端压力后发生的极端情绪疾病，并且已知患有该疾病的患者伴有抑郁，焦虑和记忆障碍的症状。水飞蓟宾（SIL）是一种天然的多酚类黄酮，是水飞蓟素的主要活性成分，水飞蓟素主要从水飞蓟中提取。尽管一些研究已经评估了这种类黄酮的性质，但尚未完全阐明SIL作为PTSD患者治疗的潜力及其作用机理。方法在暴露于单一长时间应激（SPS）模型后，采用开放视野测试（OFT）和强迫游泳测试（FST）来研究SIL对雄性大鼠焦虑和抑郁样症状的影响。大鼠接受SIL（25，50，和100 mg / kg）暴露于SPS后持续14天。结果SIL的使用显着改善了OFT中的焦虑样行为，FST中的抑郁样行为以及恐惧适应测试中的冻结行为。SIL还增加了海马（Hipp）和杏仁核中5-羟色胺的水平，并增强了Hipp中色氨酸羟化酶-1 mRNA的表达。SIL的施用还抑制了SPS引起的多巴胺水平降低和Hipp中去甲肾上腺素水平升高。结论综上所述，本研究结果表明，SIL可以作为治疗创伤应激相关症状（包括PTSD引起的PTSD引起的焦虑和抑郁）的有用治疗成分。FST中的抑郁样行为，以及恐惧条件测试中的冻结行为。SIL还增加了海马（Hipp）和杏仁核中5-羟色胺的水平，并增强了Hipp中色氨酸羟化酶-1 mRNA的表达。SIL的施用还抑制了SPS引起的多巴胺水平的降低和Hipp中去甲肾上腺素水平的升高。结论综上所述，本研究结果表明，SIL可以作为治疗创伤应激相关症状（包括PTSD引起的PTSD引起的焦虑和抑郁）的有用治疗成分。FST中的抑郁样行为，以及恐惧条件测试中的冻结行为。SIL还增加了海马（Hipp）和杏仁核中5-羟色胺的水平，并增强了Hipp中色氨酸羟化酶-1 mRNA的表达。SIL的施用还抑制了SPS引起的多巴胺水平降低和Hipp中去甲肾上腺素水平升高。结论综上所述，本研究结果表明，SIL可以作为治疗创伤应激相关症状（包括PTSD引起的PTSD引起的焦虑和抑郁）的有用治疗成分。SIL的施用还抑制了SPS引起的多巴胺水平的降低和Hipp中去甲肾上腺素水平的升高。结论综上所述，本研究结果表明，SIL可以作为治疗创伤应激相关症状（包括PTSD引起的PTSD引起的焦虑和抑郁）的有用治疗成分。SIL的施用还抑制了SPS引起的多巴胺水平的降低和Hipp中去甲肾上腺素水平的升高。结论综上所述，本研究结果表明，SIL可以作为治疗创伤应激相关症状（包括PTSD引起的PTSD引起的焦虑和抑郁）的有用治疗成分。