Objective: To investigate the effects of beta-asarone on the behavior and the expressions of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1(MKP-1)

extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK)

mitogen and stress activated protein kinase-1(MSK-1)

cAMP response element binding protein(CREB)

B cell Lymphomal/Leukemia-2(Bcl-2) in the hippocampus of depression model rats. Method: Sixty adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:the normal control group (NC)

the model control group(MC)

the β-asarone group(A)

the fluoxetine control group (FC)

15 in each one. Except those in the NC

the rest rats were singly housed and exposed on an unpredicted sequence of mild stressor. From the second day

A and FC group rats were administered with corresponding medicinal liquid everyday (1.2 mg·kg-1·d-1 to the FC group

25 mg·kg-1·d-1 to the A group) by gastro-gavage for 21 days. The rats' body weight

sucrose consumption volume in the sucrose preference test

and times of grooming in the Open-field-test were detected on the 1

7

14

21th day

respectively. The protein expressions of MKP-1 and Bcl-2 in the hippocampus were detected by immunohistochemical assay

while Real-time PCR for quantitative analysis of MKP-1

MSK-1

CREB and Bcl-2. Result: Compared with the MC group

the scores of A group and FC group in the open field test increased; the protein expressions of MKP-1 in the hippocampus decreased while MSK-1

CREB and Bcl-2 increased with statistical significance(P<0.05). Conclusion: Beta-asarone could obviously improve the depressive state of the model rats. Its mechanism might be correlated with decreasing the protein expressions of MKP-1

increasing MSK-1

CREB and Bcl-2 in the hippocampus.