Scutellarin ameliorates the stress‐induced anxiety‐like behaviors in mice by regulating neurotransmitters

Anxiety disorders are a common frequently psychiatric symptom in patients that lead to disruption of daily life. Scutellarin (Scu) is the main component of Erigeron breviscapus, which has been used as a neuroprotective agent against glutamate‐induced excitotoxicity. However, the potential effect of Scu on the stress‐related neuropsychological disorders has not been clarified. In this study, Anxiety‐like behavior was induced by acute restraint stress in mice. Scu were injected intraperitoneally (twice daily, 3 days). Results showed that Scu exhibited good protective activity on mice by decreasing transmitter release levels. Restraint stress caused significant anxiety like behavior in mice. Treatment of Scu could significantly improve the moving time of open arms in Elevated Plus Maze and central time on open field test. Scu treatment suppressed action potential firing frequency, restored excessive presynaptic quantal release, and down‐regulated glutamatergic receptor expression levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of stressed mice. GABAARα1 and GABAAγ2 expression in the brain PFC tissues of mice were nearly abrogated by Scu treatment. In stress‐induced anxiety mice, stress can increase the frequency of mini excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSC), which can be reversed by Scu treatment. Therefore, Scu has a potent anxiolytic activity and may be valuable for the treatment of stress‐induced anxiety disorders.