Pathophysiology of postpartum depression (PPD) has been associated with many factors, such as neuroendocrine, neuroinflammation and neurotransmitter changes. Fish oil (FO) improves PPD both in humans and animals. However, little is known with regards to its pharmacology on a PPD-like rat model. Hence, the current study aimed at investigating the effects of FO on a PPD-like rat model. Female rats were induced with PPD-like symptoms and then randomly divided into six groups (n = 6) for two experimental protocols. Protocol 1 consisted of PPD-like rats (2 mL distilled water), PPD-like + FO (9 g/kg/d) and PPD-like + Fluoxetine (FLX) (15 mg/kg/d) groups of rats, whereas Protocol 2 consisted of PPD-like rats (2 mL distilled water) + PCPA (p-chlorophenylalanine) 150 mg/kg, PPD-like + FO (9 g/kg/d) + PCPA 150 mg/kg and PPD-like + FLX (15 mg/d) + PCPA 150 mg/kg groups of rats, respectively. All treatments were administered orally for 10 days postpartum, except PCPA, which was given intraperitoneally. Prior to euthanasia, the antidepressant-like effect of the FO was evaluated using the forced swimming test (FST) and open field test (OFT) on day 10 postpartum. Biochemical analysis of serotonin, serotonin metabolite and serotonin turnover from their prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were also measured. The results showed that FO decreased immobility time and increased swimming time significantly, but not climbing time in FST. Further, it also decreased serotonin metabolite and turnover significantly in the hippocampus of the PPD-like rats. In contrast, administration with PCPA reversed all the outcomes. The antidepressant-like effects of FO were found to be similar with that of FLX. Thus, it can be concluded that FO exerts its antidepressant-like effects in PPD-like rats through modulation of serotonergic system.

中文翻译：

---

鱼油对产后抑郁样大鼠模型的抗抑郁样特性：参与血清素能系统

产后抑郁症（PPD）的病理生理学已与许多因素相关，例如神经内分泌，神经炎症和神经递质变化。鱼油（FO）可以改善人和动物的PPD。然而，关于PPD样大鼠模型的药理学知之甚少。因此，当前的研究旨在调查FO对PPD样大鼠模型的影响。雌性大鼠出现PPD样症状，然后随机分为6组（n= 6）的两个实验方案。方案1包括类PPD大鼠（2 mL蒸馏水），类PPD + FO（9 g / kg / d）和类PPD +氟西汀（FLX）（15 mg / kg / d）组，而实验方案2由PPD类大鼠（2 mL蒸馏水）+ PCPA（对氯苯丙氨酸）150 mg / kg，PPD类+ FO（9 g / kg / d）+ PCPA 150 mg / kg和PPD类+ FLX（15 mg / d）+ PCPA 150 mg / kg组的大鼠。除PCPA腹膜内给予外，所有治疗均在产后口服10天。在安乐死之前，在产后第10天使用强迫游泳试验（FST）和开放视野试验（OFT）评估FO的抗抑郁样作用。还测量了血清素，血清素代谢物和血清素从额叶前额叶皮层和海马的转换的生化分析。结果表明，在FST中，FO减少了不动时间并显着增加了游泳时间，但没有增加爬山时间。此外，它还降低了PPD样大鼠海马中的5-羟色胺代谢物和代谢。相反，使用PCPA进行管理可以扭转所有结果。发现FO的抗抑郁样作用与FLX相似。因此，可以得出结论，FO通过调节5-羟色胺能系统在PPD样大鼠中发挥其抗抑郁样作用。发现FO的抗抑郁样作用与FLX相似。因此，可以得出结论，FO通过调节5-羟色胺能系统在PPD样大鼠中发挥其抗抑郁样作用。发现FO的抗抑郁样作用与FLX相似。因此，可以得出结论，FO通过调节5-羟色胺能系统在PPD样大鼠中发挥其抗抑郁样作用。