Rutin exerts antidepressant effect in a rat model of diabetes

Objectives : To evaluate the potential antidepressant effect of rutin in diabetic rats and the assumed underlying mechanisms involved. Background : Depression is a common behavioral disorder among diabetic patients. Oxidative stress and in fl ammation are strongly involved in pathophysiology of diabetes-induced depression. Rutin is major fl avonoid that is proved to have neuroprotective effects through antioxidant and anti-in fl ammatory properties. Methods : A total of 24 male Wistar rats were distributed (eight/group) into control, diabetic, and diabetic þ rutin groups. The depressive-like behavior of the animals was assessed by forced swim test. Fasting serum glucose, serum glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity, tumor necrosis factor-a , and interleukin 1 b were measured; in addition, hippocampal serotonin and hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were also assessed. Results : The diabetic group showed signi fi cant increase in fasting serum levels of glucose, serum glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, malondialdehyde, tumor necrosis factor-a , and interleukin 1 b and signi fi cant decrease in serum total antioxidant capacity, hippocampal serotonin, and hippocampal BDNF levels when compared with the control group, as well as increased immobility time and decrease latency to immobility of forced swim test compared with the control group. Rutin attenuated diabetes-induced depression through improving glycemic state, oxidative stress biomarkers, in fl ammatory mediators, and increased hippocampal serotonin and hippocampal BDNF levels. Conclusion : Rutin exerted antidepressant effects in diabetic rats via antioxidant and anti-in fl ammatory properties and increased serotonin and BDNF levels.