alpha-Asarone (α-Asarone) (Synonyms: transAsarone)

Alpha-Asarone is one of the main psychoactive compounds, and possesses an antidepressant-like activity in mice.IC50 value:Target:In vitro: The results indicated that α-asarone significantly attenuated the LPS-stimulated increase in neuroinflammatory responses and suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokine production in BV-2 cells. Mechanistic study revealed that α-asarone?inhibited the LPS-stimulated activation via regulation of nuclear factor kappa-B by blocking degradation of inhibitor kappa B-alpha signaling in BV-2 microglial cells. [2]In vivo: The present results reveal that the acute treatment of α-asarone elicited biphasic responses on immobility such that the duration of the immobility time is significantly reduced at lower doses (15 and 20 mg/kg, i.p.) but increased at higher doses (50 and 100 mg/kg, i.p.) in the TST. Besides, α-asarone at higher doses (50 and 100 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly decreased the spontaneous locomotor activity.[1]

[1]. Ranjithkumar Chellian, et al. Biphasic Effects of α-Asarone on Immobility in the Tail Suspension Test: Evidence for the Involvement of the Noradrenergic and Serotonergic Systems in Its Antidepressant-Like Activity. Front Pharmacol. 2016; 7: 72. [2]. Byung-Wook Kim, et al. α-Asarone attenuates microglia-mediated neuroinflammation by inhibiting NF kappa B activation and mitigates MPTP-induced behavioral deficits in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease. Neuropharmacology, Volume 97, October 2015, Pages [3]. Hye-Jung Park, et al. Effect of α-asarone on angiogenesis and matrix metalloproteinase. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, Volume 39, Issue 3, May 2015, Pages 1107-1114