Potencial terapêutico do extrato e composto ativo da Centella asiatica como possível tratamento para o transtorno depressivo maior

Abstract

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most frequent cause of mental health issues in the world, mostly affecting the patient 's life quality, Although its pathophysiology is not entirely understood, among the most relevant factors is the stress during childhood. In addition to that, the lack of social support during youth age can enhance these traumas, aggravating or initiating an MDD. The maternal deprivation (MP) in rodents is a behavior study model which mimics the trauma experienced in early ages of human life. Previous studies have shown the presence of modifications on the seric levels of inflammatory cytokines, as examples, the thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS), and antioxidants species, such as Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid), Total Thiols (PSH), and non proteic Thiois (NPSH). Studies about the medicinal plant called Centella asiatica (C. asiatica) have been growing in number in the last years, due to its neuroprotective and antidepressant potential effects. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect on inflammatory markers in peripheral blood with treatment with extract from leaves of C. asiatica on rodents stressed with MP on their first days of life. The animals were allocated in 5 groups (N = 10 each group): control without MP + saline (control without stress; PM + saline (negative control); MP + Escitalopram (positive control); PM + C. asiatica extract; MP + madecassic acid 10 mg/Kg. The animals were subject to MP during 10 (ten) days since the day they were born. With 60 (sixty) days of life, the animals received treatment during 14 (fourteen) days according to each group 's goal. The assessment of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of the animals submitted to MP showed higher levels of inflammatory markers, increase in TBARS on both sexes of rodents and decrease in vitamin C on females, sparing changes on PSH and NPSH. The C. asiatica extract reduced the inflammation on peripheral blood, even on markers without expressive changes, demonstrating a potential anti-inflammatory effect. This study is relevant in various fields of Medicine, as it verifies a possible aid to mental health issues.