{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,27]],"date-time":"2025-11-27T16:39:11Z","timestamp":1764261551006,"version":"3.46.0"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,27]],"date-time":"2025-11-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1764201600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatr\u00eda Ram\u00f3n de la Fuente Mu\u00f1iz, Mexico"},{"name":"SIP-IPN","award":["20253586"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["20253586"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmaceuticals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Thunbergia alata is employed in traditional medicine to treat culture-bound syndromes such as \u201csusto\u201d (fright) or \u201cespanto\u201d (fearfulness). These conditions may correlate with depressive disorders. However, there is no evidence that this species has antidepressant properties. Aims: To characterize the antidepressant-like effect of an aqueous extract of T. alata in different paradigms and to analyze the role of brain monoamines in such actions. Methods: Independent groups of mice were treated with saline or the extract (1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 mg\/kg; p.o.) and evaluated in the tail suspension (TST) and forced swimming tests (FST). Biochemical mechanisms were analyzed using inhibitors of monoamine synthesis, ligands of serotonergic receptors, and in vitro assays of MAO-A and MAO-B activity. Acute and sub-acute toxicity was evaluated. Results: The extract significantly reduced the immobility time of mice in both the TST and the FST, without affecting locomotor activity, as did the prototypical antidepressant desipramine. PCPA, AMPT, and NAN-190 abolished the extract\u2019s effects on despair, while serotonergic ligands (8-OH-DPAT, fluoxetine, and pindolol) facilitated their antidepressant action. T. alata inhibited MAO-A and B activity. High doses of the extract produced no change in organ morphology; LD50 was &gt;2000 mg\/kg. Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate that an aqueous extract of T. alata produces antidepressant effects mediated by the monoamine brain levels, especially serotonin. In addition to its use in culture-bounded syndromes, the present findings of safety and efficacy give support to the proposal that T. alata may be used in the treatment of depression.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ph18121812","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,27]],"date-time":"2025-11-27T16:31:52Z","timestamp":1764261112000},"page":"1812","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["A Comprehensive Approach to the Antidepressant-like Effect and Toxicity of Thunbergia alata Bojer ex Sims (Acanthaceae): Involvement of the Serotoninergic System"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8712-5994","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mayra Beatriz","family":"G\u00f3mez-Pati\u00f1o","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico Nacional, Centro de Nanociencias y Micro y Nanotecnolog\u00edas, Unidad Profesional Adolfo L\u00f3pez Mateos, Col. Zacatenco, Mexico City 07738, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ana Mar\u00eda","family":"Dorantes-Barr\u00f3n","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratorio de Fitofarmacolog\u00eda, Direcci\u00f3n de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatr\u00eda Ram\u00f3n de la Fuente Mu\u00f1iz, Calzada M\u00e9xico-Xochimilco 101, Col. San Lorenzo Huipulco, Mexico City 14370, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9466-1907","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Daniel","family":"Arrieta-B\u00e1ez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico Nacional, Centro de Nanociencias y Micro y Nanotecnolog\u00edas, Unidad Profesional Adolfo L\u00f3pez Mateos, Col. Zacatenco, Mexico City 07738, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1078-3945","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"No\u00e9","family":"Jurado-Hern\u00e1ndez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratorio de Fitofarmacolog\u00eda, Direcci\u00f3n de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatr\u00eda Ram\u00f3n de la Fuente Mu\u00f1iz, Calzada M\u00e9xico-Xochimilco 101, Col. San Lorenzo Huipulco, Mexico City 14370, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7309-5990","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Julia","family":"Cassani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidad Xochimilco, Departamento de Sistemas Biol\u00f3gicos, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma Metropolitana, Calzada del Hueso 1100, Mexico City 04960, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rosa Mar\u00eda","family":"Vigueras-Villase\u00f1or","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratorio de Biolog\u00eda de la Reproducci\u00f3n, Instituto Nacional de Pediatr\u00eda, Insurgentes Sur 3700-C, Mexico City 04530, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Luc\u00eda","family":"Mart\u00ednez-Mota","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratorio de Farmacolog\u00eda Conductual, Direcci\u00f3n de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatr\u00eda Ram\u00f3n de la Fuente Mu\u00f1iz, Calzada M\u00e9xico-Xochimilco 101, Mexico City 14370, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jessica A.","family":"Ibarra Oca\u00f1a","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratorio de Fitofarmacolog\u00eda, Direcci\u00f3n de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatr\u00eda Ram\u00f3n de la Fuente Mu\u00f1iz, Calzada M\u00e9xico-Xochimilco 101, Col. San Lorenzo Huipulco, Mexico City 14370, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2673-5270","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rosa","family":"Estrada-Reyes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratorio de Fitofarmacolog\u00eda, Direcci\u00f3n de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatr\u00eda Ram\u00f3n de la Fuente Mu\u00f1iz, Calzada M\u00e9xico-Xochimilco 101, Col. San Lorenzo Huipulco, Mexico City 14370, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"391","DOI":"10.1002\/wps.21018","article-title":"The World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All","volume":"21","author":"Freeman","year":"2022","journal-title":"World Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"240","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(19)30934-1","article-title":"New WHO Prevalence Estimates of Mental Disorders in Conflict Settings: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis","volume":"394","author":"Charlson","year":"2019","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Paniagua, F.A. (2013). Culture-Bound Syndromes, Cultural Variations, and Psychopathology. 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